I'm on Fire
by A-Redhead-Thing
Summary: Eric and Sookie have been best friends since high school. When Sookie's announcement turns Eric's world upside down, he must decide whether to fight for her or let her slip through his fingers.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well I decided to tackle a multi-chapter story. This is my first attempt at this, so take it easy on me.

A/N: I do not own these characters. The wonderfully imaginative Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.

A/N: I owe Bruce Springsteen for writing a wonderful song that inspired me to do this. I suppose he is my muse.

A/N: Most importantly I owe all the thanks in the world to Smfogleman! She has agreed to be my beta and she is supremely amazing. If you don't believe me, check out her story. The Pact! It won first place in the Poppin' Cherries contest. Read it here

http://www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/s/5518319/1/The_Pact

--just replace the dots, with actual periods.

Anyway... here we go...

* * *

"Eric, I'm getting married!"

Those were the words that sent my life spinning upside down. Sookie Stackhouse, my best friend and the only girl that I have ever pined for was getting married. I have no one to blame for this turn of events but myself. I should have told her my feelings a long time ago, but she was my best friend and I never wanted to jeopardize that. I was always too afraid of scaring her off: of scaring off the best thing in my life.

* * *

We met our senior year of high school. I had just moved to Bon Temps with my family. My father had been in the military so we used to move around every few years. He had since retired now and wanted to settle down somewhere quiet. His best friend from childhood, my "uncle," Sam Merlotte lived there with his wife Amelia. I always loved to visit them whenever we could, but I couldn't understand why he would pick such a ridiculously small town to settle us permanently. I certainly hadn't planned on falling in love.

That is, until I met her.

It was my first day at yet another new school. I was fairly used to this routine by now- new school, new classes, new layout, new people and all the questioning looks that came with being the new kid. With it being senior year, I knew I would only have to tolerate them for thirty-six weeks and then never have to see any of them again. I would be leaving Bon Temps after graduation, planning to go elsewhere for college. Small town life just wasn't for me. It was with a weary outlook that I stalked off to my first class.

Judging by the stares I received from the girls when I entered the room it became clear that I was going to stand out. Being from Sweden you tend to stand out, but I don't think I'd ever get used to the stares. I suppose I was handsome, but was I really that impressive? I think I even heard an audible gasp escape the lips of one girl as I approached the teacher to find out where I was to sit. As he directed me to my seat I noticed a girl with blonde hair sitting in the chair next to mine. As I took my seat she lifted her head to say hello. I immediately found myself lost in the depths of her crystal clear blue eyes. She was absolutely beautiful.

"Hi, I'm Sookie Stackhouse. You must be new here. Welcome to Bon Temps."

Her voice was bubbly and soothing all at the same time. The smile on her face was breathtaking and I swear my heart skipped a beat.

"Uh, yeah," was the only response I could formulate.

The giggle that followed alerted me to the fact that I needed to elaborate further.

"I'm Eric. My family just moved to town. It's nice to meet you Sookie."

Her eyes lit up as if she recognized something I was saying.

"You're Eric?" she exclaimed. "I have heard so much about you!"

Me? She had heard about me? I guess the look that crossed my face echoed my confusion, because she enlightened me.

"I work for Sam and Amelia. My mom and Amelia had been friends since they were children and we have always been incredibly close to them. Sam hasn't stopped talking about the fact that his best friend was moving to town with his wife and son."

It warmed my heart a bit to know that Sam was so happy to see us, as my father was ecstatic to be seeing him again. However at the moment all I wanted to know about was this creature sitting next to me. Unfortunately the teacher announced that class was starting so my curiosity would have to be put on hold.

The rest of that day passed without much incident and I found that I had only one other class with Sookie. Disappointment flooded my body but I quickly shook it off determined to make the best of this day. I was walking to my car after school when I heard her shout my name across the parking lot as she came running up to me.

"I have to work tonight, but I was wondering if you would like me to show you around town this weekend?"

My heart leapt a bit in my chest at the thought of her as my personal tour guide.

"I would love that Sookie."

"Here's my number: feel free to give me a call tonight. I get off work at nine so we can make plans then," she beamed at me before turning to go find her car.

I couldn't help the goofy grin that crossed my face as I got in my own car and drove home.

My father greeted me at home and asked how my first day had gone. Pulling him into a hug, I told him.

"I think I may have met the most amazing girl I have ever encountered. Thank you for moving us here."

Chuckling he pulled back and asked who she was.

"Her name is Sookie Stackhouse, her mother and Amelia were best friends apparently."

"Stackhouse, eh? She must be Pam and Jason's daughter. I remember them having a little girl; Amelia was so excited. Not that she doesn't love you son, but she wanted a girl to play with."

Sam and Amelia couldn't have children so they lived vicariously through my parents. They had always treated me like a son, and they were like second parents to me. I guessed maybe they treated Sookie the same way.

"She works for them at the restaurant, so maybe we could go by there for dinner sometime, dad?" I hinted in a not so subtle manner.

My father just laughed and shook his head. "Eric my boy, you just met this girl, but you've already got it bad. She must be something special."

I had only known her for eight hours, but already I could see how right he was. Sookie Stackhouse was something special. I just had no idea how special she really was. Nor did I have any idea how much she would come to mean to me.


	2. Chapter 2: A Day with Sookie

**A/N: **I do not own these characters. The wonderfully imaginative Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.

**A/N: **I have the best beta in the whole world: Smfogleman! She fixed all of my silly little errors so that this chapter would be presentable. I wish I could give her a real life Eric, but alas, my undying gratitude will have to suffice.

* * *

That first week of school passed by pretty quickly. Saturday couldn't arrive quickly enough for me. Every day Sookie and I would chat a bit before class would start, and I could see myself falling head over heels for her. Fast. She was so sweet and welcoming, and she made adjusting to this new school so much easier. I actually found myself eager to get to school in the morning, something that had never happened in my previous twelve years of school.

Finally, Saturday rolled around, and I was ready to go at ten a.m. as she had requested. Sookie told me to dress comfortably, so I opted for my favorite worn-in jeans, my father's Born to Run tour t-shirt and sneakers. I carried my gray sweater with me since the weather was starting to turn chilly. I didn't know what to expect today, and my nerves were slightly on edge. The prospect of spending an entire day with her may have also had something to do with that. I had known her for less than a week, and I was already feeling things for her that I had never felt for another woman. I smiled a bit knowing that today would be my chance to get to know her a little bit better.

A gust of wind swept around my body as I stood at the end of the driveway waiting for her to arrive, so I decided to go ahead and pull my sweater on. The cold didn't bother me since Sweden remained chilly most of the year. However, I did not want to risk getting sick and missing any school and any chance to see Sookie.

Five minutes later I heard a car rumble down our street and pull up to a stop right in front of me. It was a 1968 forest green Mustang convertible. Damn! That girl had good taste in cars.

Out stepped Sookie, who was wearing an outfit rather similar to mine - jeans, sneakers, and a soft, green sweater over a t-shirt.

"Hey Eric!! Ready for our adventure?" she asked me with a twinkle in her eye.

Ready? Was she kidding me? I'd been ready for this all week.

"You bet I am Sookie."

"Good! I thought maybe we could start off with breakfast at Merlotte's if that would be alright with you?"

"Sounds perfect," I told her as we hopped in the car.

Upon starting the engine up I was immediately assaulted by the blaring sounds of "Rosalita" coming from the speakers. A huge grin spread across my face as she blushed and turned down the volume.

"Are you a Springsteen fan?" I asked, excitement creeping into my voice.

"Only completely! The Boss is my favorite!" she said bouncing with admiration.

This girl just kept getting better and better. "Bruce is my favorite as well," I told her.

Beaming, she cranked the volume back up as we took off down the road.

By the time we reached Merlotte's we were both giddy with the energy that came from singing along with Springsteen at the top of your lungs. I liked knowing that we had something in common, especially a love of the same musician.

She went to open the door, but I was raised to be a gentleman and grabbed the handle before she could. "After you."

Blushing slightly she thanked me before heading in. We perused the menu for a minute before deciding on food. Her co-worker Arlene came by and took our order and then we were alone once again. However, before I could begin to question her about our plans for the day I heard a squeal and someone call my name. Aunt Amelia approached me with arms wide open, and I couldn't help but smile and stand up to give her a huge hug. Pulling back slightly she looked me over

"Eric, look at you! You have gotten to be so big. Such a man now. You look just like your father," she said before pulling me back into a hug.

"Amelia, let the boy go before you suffocate him." I heard a man's voice say from behind her, and I knew immediately that it was Sam.

"Eric, my boy, how are you doing?" Sam said extending his hand for me to shake.

I returned the handshake before allowing him to pull me into a hug as well.

"I'm doing well Sam. It's so good to see you again. Getting adjusted to being in town, but I've got myself a tour guide here." I said gesturing to Sookie.

Sam and Amelia both turned their attention to the booth. "Oh Sookie, I didn't see you there," Amelia said pulling her up to give her a hug as well.

I watched their interaction with interest. It was clear that they loved Sookie as well. Sam caught me staring at her and gave me a knowing smile and shook his head slightly. He reminded me so much of my dad in that moment that I couldn't help but chuckle slightly with him. They left us after a few minutes with the promise that they would have my parents and me over for dinner to catch up soon.

Sookie was the first to speak when we were alone. "It is so obvious how much they adore you Eric."

"Me? No Sookie, you should have seen the adoration in Amelia's eyes when she spotted you sitting there."

She hung her head a bit in embarrassment and said, "Amelia has always been like a mother to me, I love her dearly."

Not wanting to make her uncomfortable any further I changed the subject. "So what's on the agenda today, Miss Stackhouse?"

Snapping her head back up she grinned mischievously at me and told me it was a surprise. I liked surprises, so I was content to go along with her plan. Although, that didn't mean I wouldn't stop trying to get information out of her.

Our food arrived and I dug into my eggs with gusto. I almost choked, however, when Sookie moaned upon taking a bite of her French toast. She was completely unaware of what she had done and kept on eating. The noise had gone straight to my dick and I was grateful for the booth between us. Taking a deep breath to control myself, I focused on my eggs once more. We both cleared our plates and I was delighted to notice that Sookie had a healthy appetite. Too many of the girls at our high school looked like they had been on the salad-only diet for years, and I found it highly unattractive.

Arlene brought our check, and I grabbed it before Sookie had a chance to. "Eric, please let me pay my half," she requested.

"Not a chance! My father raised me to treat a woman properly, and my mother would smack me if I didn't pay. Plus, do you really think Amelia would approve of me allowing you to pay?"

Sighing, she begrudgingly conceded. "Thank you for breakfast Eric."

Paying our bill, we told Sam and Amelia goodbye and headed back out to the car.

As we climbed inside I tried to prompt her again for a hint as to the day's activities, but she would not budge. After turning the volume back up on the stereo I leaned back in my seat and smiled as she sped off, excited to start our adventure.

We arrived in town, and she parked telling me to get out. She gave me a walking tour of the town and told me the history of every place we passed. I was completely enthralled with her and her excitement and knowledge of the place. It was truly a quaint town and the history was fascinating. I learned all about the different legends and stories that people had amassed about this, that, and the other.

We explored the town for hours and I took in as much of the culture as I could. In spite of myself, I found that I might really enjoy living there. I made a mental note to tell my dad.

After a spell, we went to this quaint little diner run by a man named Lafayette who made the best burger I had eaten in quite some time. We decide to split a chocolate milkshake for dessert and I enjoyed listening to her stories about growing up and hearing all about her family. When I asked her where she got the car from, her head dropped and I saw tears start to fill her eyes. "It used to be my dad's. It was his favorite possession. He was always so happy when he drove it. I think he loved it more than he loved his own kids at times," she choked out

She then told me about her parents dying in a car accident when she was younger, and I wondered if my father didn't know about what happened. If he was aware he sure didn't allude to it before. The ache I felt for her as she cried softly made me wish like hell that I had known. I never wanted to cause her any pain.

After crying softly for a few minutes, she cleared her eyes and gave me a small smile. "Sorry to lose it like that Eric. I can handle it normally, but it's still hard sometimes."

Why was she apologizing? "Sookie, you have nothing to be sorry for. I can't even begin to fathom the pain you must feel when you think about them. I could not imagine not having my parents around. If it's any consolation, they seem to have done an amazing job raising you"

"Actually, you can attribute that to my gran," she said with a tiny grin

Sookie then told me all about her gran and I couldn't help but smile as her face lit up with pure love and affection for the woman. Adele sounded like an amazing woman, and I knew immediately that she was the reason Sookie was as warm and wonderful as she seemed to be. It was obvious that she raised Sookie to be a strong, independent and loving woman. I couldn't wait to meet her.

I told Sookie about growing up as an Army brat and what it was like to live all around the world. Sweden had been my favorite place as I was born there and we lived there until I was 14. We moved to the states after that and lived in various places, but Sweden would always be home. I was starting to think that Bon Temps would find itself as a close second though. She wanted to know more about Sweden so I told her stories about growing up there.

Eventually it was time to leave for our next adventure. Grabbing my hand she pulled me off in the opposite direction of the car.

"Uh, Sookie. Where are we headed? The car is back that way."

Giving me a wink she said, "Trust me Eric and follow my lead."

At that moment I knew that if she asked, I would follow her anywhere.

* * *

**A/N**: In case you couldn't already tell. I love Springsteen a lot.


	3. Chapter 3: Memories

**A/N:** I do not own these characters. Charlaine Harris does. I wish I owned Eric, you have no idea how much.

**A/N: ** I owe a million and one thanks and hugs to my fabulous beta Smfogleman. She is the bees knees! Check out her amazing story A Royal Engagement . It has a spiffy new banner too!!

http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5539792/1/A_Royal_Engagement (remove the spaces)

**A/N:** Also please read and review all the wonderful NON contest entries! Some great stories out there! *shameless self pimpage alert*-- including mine: 16 Days

http://www. fanfiction. net/community/Naughty_or_Nice_One-shot_Contest/76327/ (remove spaces)

Anyways, on with the show….

* * *

I followed Sookie for ten minutes before she abruptly came to a stop in what seemed liked the middle of nowhere.

"I hope you are up for another little adventure Eric," her sweet voice called to me.

I looked around me, but I couldn't begin to figure out what this adventure was going to be. However, I was willing to do anything.

"Sure Sookie, just lead the way."

She led me forward until we came to a path that seemed to stretch on for miles.

"I thought we could go for a hike if that's all right by you," she said uncertainly.

Hiking was one of my favorite past times and something I had always done when I needed to get away and relax, so I eagerly agreed and we began our climb.

After climbing for about an hour, she grabbed my hand and told me she wanted to show me something but to close my eyes. I did as I was told, and all kinds of wicked thoughts crossed my mind about what I would have liked her to show me. I couldn't help myself; she was so beautiful and kind, and the one person I could truly call a friend in the new town. She led me onward for about another minute, and then told me to open my eyes.

I was greeted by the most spectacular view of the town and surrounding area. The trees had all begun their transformation from green to red, yellow, and brown and formed a masterpiece against the sky. The town below seemed quiet and peaceful, and I was awed by the sheer tranquility of this place. Sookie came to stand beside me and I grabbed her hand and squeezed it, too far removed from words to show my appreciation. We stood still for a while, enjoying the scenery and the company of each other. It started to get dark, however, and she announced that we should start heading back. Before she could turn to leave, I grabbed her into my arms for a quick hug.

"Thank you," I whispered into her hair, my voice full of emotion.

She smiled at me in response, and I felt that tug at my heart again.

"I'm really happy that I was able to share that view with you Eric. It's where I come when I want to relax and just be at one with the world."

Once again she surprised me, and I knew that this girl was going to turn me inside out if I wasn't careful.

Upon arriving back at the start of the path, Sookie removed her sweater stating that she was too warm from the climb. I agreed and removed mine as well. After taking one glance at each other we both burst into laughter. Sookie was wearing a Darkness on the Edge of Town t-shirt that complimented my Born to Run one. As our laughter halted I told her how much her shirt pleased me.

"You've got great taste there, Stackhouse _Darkness_ is my favorite Bruce album."

"Mine too!" she exclaimed with pure joy.

Huh. Yet another thing we had in common.

We strolled back to the car in a comfortable silence, and I once again walked around to open her door for her. It was rather late in the day, and Sookie had church in the morning, so she dropped me off at home. I leaned over and hugged her one more time and thanked her for the amazing day we shared.

I walked into the house only to find dad standing at the counter fixing a sandwich.

"How was your day, son?" he asked with a knowing smile.

"It was nice," I told him, not wanting to listen to his ribbing.

Apparently, I wasn't to be that lucky. He wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Just nice? I spoke with Sam, and he told me you two stopped in for breakfast this morning."

"We did have breakfast there. It was good to see them again."

"He also mentioned that you seemed to be quite smitten with Miss Stackhouse. And if the smile on your face is any indication I would say he's right," dad said with a barely contained grin.

I had two choices: walk out of the room and ignore him, or tell someone about the amazing girl that was Sookie.

I chose the latter.

"I can't explain it dad I've only known her for a week, but she just does something to me. I get butterflies every time I am near her, and I anxiously await school each morning because I know she will be there," I gushed out. "Then today. Oh god, today! Dad we had an amazing time, and it was so effortless. She showed me all around the town and then took me on a hike and showed me this amazing view of the town. It was wonderful."

He just looked at me for a moment before finally saying "The way you talk about her, well, you sound like I did when I first met your mother. Hold on to that feeling son, she sounds like a pretty special girl."

* * *

Hold on to that feeling I did. Senior year seemed to fly by, and Sookie and I became even better friends, to the point where I could honestly call her my best friend. As the year progressed, I found myself falling madly in love with her but could never bring myself to say the words. There were times when I thought maybe she returned the sentiment, but she never made a move to tell me either. We both applied to some of the same colleges, opting to go to one close to home together. I was ecstatic, thinking college might help me to shake my nerves, tell her how I felt, and ask her out on a date.

That wasn't to be my luck, however. During our freshman registration, Sookie met Trey Dawson. They had a history class together and became fast friends. He asked her out after a few months and she accepted. I remembered very clearly when she told me she had a date and I saw how excited she was. My heart nearly cracked in two, but I put on a happy face for her, knowing she desperately wanted my approval.

I shouldn't have been too surprised. Sookie was beautiful, with her long blonde hair, deep blue eyes, smile that lit up her entire face, tanned skin and curves in all the right places. Of course guys were going to notice her.

That one date turned into several, and soon they were boyfriend and girlfriend. I wanted to hate him for being the one to ask her out when I was too chicken to do it myself. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. Trey was actually a very nice guy, and I knew that he treated her well, so I did my best to be happy for her. She and I remained best friends, even though I was slowly dying inside. We made it a point to have dinner together at least twice a week, but listening to her talk about Trey all the time turned my stomach. I was in love with her, and she honestly had no idea. I had no one to blame but myself.

I tried to give dating a shot over the years, even dating one girl for a few months, but I couldn't make myself develop feelings for anyone but Sookie. Unfortunately for me, Sookie and Trey's relationship only grew stronger.

* * *

During winter break of our last year at school, Trey took Sookie home to spend the holidays with his family. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach about the trip, but I could never put my finger on it. I knew that Sookie was incredibly happy with Trey, but when she spoke of him I got the feeling that something was missing. The selfish part of me hoped that she had hidden feelings for me that were keeping her from committing herself to him fully.

We still had that easy going relationship we had established that one day many years ago when she showed me around Bon Temps for the first time. Our dinners were the highlight of my week, and often times we would rent a movie and just hang out for hours. She had a habit of crashing at my off campus apartment quite often. She had fallen asleep on my shoulder while we watched a movie one night. A soft sigh escaped her lips and it took all I had to not plant a kiss on her gorgeous mouth and then carry her back to my room to show her just how much I loved her, how much I had loved her from that first week of knowing her. I was raised to be better than that though. I had always been a gentleman around her, and I wasn't going to change that now by thinking with my dick and not my head.

But did she have to wear those damn short shorts to sleep in that showed off her perfectly toned thighs? Needless to say, I took a lot of cold showers when she stayed over. The showers didn't stop the dreams I had of her though. Every night, the images of her lying beneath me, wearing nothing but a smile while I ran my hands all over her tan skin and planted kisses down her neck and body, assaulted me. I could hear her moans in my head which only caused me to moan out loud myself. I wanted desperately to bury myself inside of her soft flesh and let her see how much I wanted her and desired her. I wanted it to be my name she called when she had an orgasm.

I woke up in a puddle of sweat most nights, with a raging hard-on fueled by the one woman I couldn't have. My hand always got the job done, but I was never truly satisfied. I knew I would never be satisfied unless I had Sookie to call my own.

The Thursday night after school resumed meant dinner with Sookie. She sounded excited on the phone, which put me in a good mood. Her excitement never failed to make me happy. If she told me to go jump off a bridge I would do it just to see that smile grace her face. When she told me that she wanted us to go to Puccini's for dinner I wondered what the reason was.

Puccini's was our special place near campus. It was a tiny, hole in the wall, Italian place, owned by a husband and wife, with the best lasagna I had ever tasted. Sookie and I had stumbled across it freshman year when we were searching for new places to try. We immediately fell in love with the atmosphere and made it a habit to eat there when we wanted to celebrate something. I always joked with her that "I will meet you anytime you want, at our Italian restaurant." I knew her fondness for Billy Joel and that song in particular.

Since she requested our special place, I felt hope bubbling up inside that maybe she had broken up with Trey during their trip and had feelings for me. Immediately, I felt bad for thinking that. I may have wanted her for myself, but I honestly did not wish the pain of not having Sookie on anyone, even Trey.

I searched my closet for something nice to wear and found the perfect outfit. I decided on my charcoal gray suit with a plain white shirt underneath. Sookie had commented once before that she liked the way I looked in dark gray, and I want to look my best for her.

I arrived at the restaurant about five minutes early and bought a flower from the vendor outside for Sookie. When she showed up wearing a knee-length, red dress with a v-cut neckline that showed the perfect amount of her glorious cleavage I almost lost it. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant French twist and she looked absolutely amazing. She may have only seen me as a friend, but I couldn't believe my luck at getting to eat a wonderful meal with this stunning creature. I handed her the tulip and she beamed her best smile at me. My heart did little back-flips in my chest. I supposed my heart would never get used to the reaction Sookie elicited.

"You look stunning, sweetheart."

A slow blush crept across her cheeks and I was happy to know that I could still have that affect on her.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Eric."

Placing my hand on the small of her back, I led her into the restaurant. The hostess showed us to our seat, which was located in the back corner. The restaurant had dim lighting, but each table had candles on it to set the mood. Pulling her chair out for her I whispered in my best Italian accent "Your seat, madam."

Giggling a bit, she sat down and I pushed her chair into the table before taking my own seat. We ordered our food and the waitress left us alone again. Unable to satisfy my curiosity, I asked Sookie why she had chosen this place tonight.

"Well, Eric, I have some really big news, and I wanted us to be somewhere special when I told you."

My heart leapt into my throat, and my imagination ran wild, hoping maybe my earlier suspicion was right; she had broken up with Trey and she wanted me.

The next words out of her mouth ruined any hopeful thoughts I had been having.

"Eric, I'm getting married!"


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner and Drinking

A/N: I do not own these characters. The wonderfully imaginative Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.

A/N: I once again owe all the thanks in the world to my lovely and talented beta Smfogleman! She always rocks my socks!! Any mistakes left are mine.

See you at the bottom!!

* * *

I don't know how long I sat there in stunned silence. Sookie was getting married. My best friend, the woman of my dreams, was getting married.

It had never even crossed my mind that Trey was taking her away to propose. How stupid could I have been? He was taking her home to spend the holidays with his family. You don't take a girl home to meet your family unless she means a great deal to you. It should have been so clear. Add to that the big news she had to tell me, and I should have been able to put two and two together. All signs pointed to this happening, but I guess I was choosing to be oblivious to them.

"Eric, are you alright?" Sookie asked laying a hand on my arm and bringing me out of my internal debate.

Was I alright? At the moment I wasn't so sure. I didn't _feel_ alright, but I couldn't tell her that.

"Yeah Sookie, I'm fine. Just a bit surprised is all. I wasn't expecting that."

"What were you expecting?"

I didn't know what to say to her. I couldn't exactly tell her I was hoping she had broken up with her boyfriend. When I didn't respond at all she continued.

"It took me by surprise too. I really didn't know Trey was planning to propose. I mean we hadn't really talked about marriage much before," she trailed off.

So she hadn't been anticipating this? That was interesting. They hadn't even discussed marriage that much. This new nugget of information gave me a small bit of hope that maybe Sookie wasn't ready to marry him. Then again she had accepted his proposal. At that thought I felt my hopes sag again. I was getting lost in my own thoughts, so I made myself focus on the girl in front of me.

"I suppose congratulations are in order then," I said as I raised my glass of wine to offer her a toast.

Sookie lifted her glass as well and watched me with curious eyes as she waited to see what I had to say.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to say the words I knew she needed to hear, but killed me to say.

"Here's to you and Trey. I hope you are both very happy together and you get the happily ever after you are looking for. You deserve nothing short of the best Sookie," I offered as I touched my glass to hers, before taking a rather large sip.

The look in her eyes clued me in to the fact that she knew my toast wasn't completely heartfelt. Sure, I meant the part about her deserving nothing but the best and wanting her to have her happily ever after. I just didn't want her to have it with Trey.

I saw sadness pass through her eyes before she blinked and it was replaced with a look I couldn't quite decipher. What was that? I didn't even know how to comprehend what had just happened.

An awkward silence descended over the table, and I couldn't stand it.

"So, aren't you going to tell me all about it," I asked. If she was going to rip my heart to pieces she may as well finish the job.

"Eric, are you sure? I mean, I know you are my best friend and everything, and sure you are in touch with your feminine side at times, but I don't expect you to want to hear all my gushy romantic tales," she told me with a small smile on her face.

The pot shot at my feminine side was her attempt at lightening the mood. I would never live down the time I let her paint my toenails, I knew that. Plus, Sookie had always found my ability to listen to girl talk amusing. I wished she knew I only cared about girl talk when it was with her. My heart was breaking into a million tiny fragments, but I wasn't about to let her know that. No, I was going to continue to be her best friend, to play the part I was born to play.

"Tell me all about it Stackhouse, and then maybe later we can braid each other's hair and you can show me how to apply mascara," I joked with her. She offered a rousing laugh in response.

I took a deep breath, and then listened as she told me all about her weekend away with Trey and how he had proposed to her. I don't know how I managed to sit there with a smile plastered on my face, but I did, as I listened to the girl of my dreams describe her engagement to another man.

* * *

After I left the restaurant that night, I went home and scoured my cabinets for liquor. The Whiskey I found wasn't going to do it. I grabbed a bottle of Jäger and drank myself into oblivion. The ache in my heart was overwhelming, and I wanted to do whatever it took to numb the pain. It threatened to eat me alive.

I don't remember passing out on the couch, but that was how my roommate Alcide found me the next day.

"Eric," I heard a rough voice say as my head throbbed with the realization that I was awake.

I attempted to sit up, but the spinning room and nausea that rose in my throat had me leaning over to empty my stomach into the trashcan. I could hear Alcide chuckle once before leaving the room.

He came back a moment later carrying a glass of water and some aspirin.

"I think you could probably use these, man. What happened last night that made you get shitfaced? I have never seen you like this."

My head was throbbing so badly I thought a train was running through it. It was rare that I had more than a drink or two, and I realized once again why that was. I had never felt this awful in my life. I didn't know if it was strictly a result of the copious amount of alcohol I consumed or if it was a combination of the alcohol and the stabbing pain inflicted on me by one Miss Sookie Stackhouse.

"Sookie's getting married," I grumbled before lying my head back down on the couch.

"Shit. Man that really sucks."

Alcide was the one of two people, besides my dad that knew the extent of my feelings towards Sookie. He was the best guy friend I had. We got along great, and it was nice to have a guy to talk to.

I envied him one thing, and that was his relationship with Felicia. They had been dating since high school with no signs of ever breaking up. They were the closest thing to soul mates I had ever seen. She was a great girl and they complimented each other well. They had been through the ringer with me on Sookie and Trey's relationship and helped me through it.

One of the things I loved about Felicia was she tended to rely on tough love, often telling me to "find my balls and man up." Underneath the tough exterior she was a romantic at heart, and I knew she wanted me to be with Sookie almost as much as I did.

"Hold on, I'm going to get Felicia over here. I think you're going to need both of us for this one," he told me as he walked off to call her.

Apparently, I had passed out again because the next thing I knew Felicia was standing over me holding some toast and more water.

"Eat this. It will soak up some of the alcohol," she said shoving the plate at me. "Once you have food in your stomach you are going to take a shower. You smell worse than a sea captain after a long bender. How much did you drink?"

I looked sheepishly at her, and told her "I drank almost an entire handle of Jäger."

"ERIC," she gasped. "Are you insane? You could have killed yourself drinking that much," she screeched, terrified at the thought. Felicia's brother had been killed in a drunk driving accident a few years ago and I knew how much heavy drinking bothered her. I could feel her disappointment wash over me and I cringed into myself a little more.

I pulled myself into a sitting position, and after the room stopped its annoying spin I took a tentative bite of the toast. My stomach rolled a bit in protest, but I knew food was going to help cure this hangover from hell. I downed the toast and the glass of water and stumbled to the bathroom, followed closely by Felicia.

"I can take a shower myself, Felicia. Besides, Alcide probably doesn't want you in here with me."

"Alcide is the one that sent me in here, Eric. He knows if anyone is going to whip you back into shape it's going to be me. So into the shower you go. Do not argue with me. I am going to sit right out here and wait for you. Once you are clean and dressed, we will all sit down and discuss this," she said in a tone that left no room for argument.

I sighed to myself and stripped down and climbed into the shower, knowing it would do me no good to fight with her. The hot water felt amazing as it rushed down my body in cascades, washing away the disgusting feeling of my hangover. An image of Sookie climbing into the shower with me, flitted into my mind, but I quickly pushed the thought away. Thinking about her in that manner was not going to help me resolve my situation. I washed my hair and cleaned up, knowing if I stayed in the shower too long, Felicia would only drag me out. I wrapped the towel around my waist and stalked past her to go change into clean clothes.

I pulled on my most comfortable pajama pants and my ratty New Orleans Saints t-shirt and stalked out to the living room to face whatever was in store for me at the hands of the two-person army I had come to rely on.

I sat down on the couch and waited while Alcide fixed himself something to eat. I stared at the floor because I couldn't stand to see the sad look on Felicia's face. I was down enough as it was; I didn't need her sadness to feed my own. Misery doesn't love company, and whoever said it did, obviously didn't know what they were talking about.

Once Alcide came back, they seemed to morph into some superhuman unit that looked ready to take on the world. Wonder twins activate or some shit like that. Briefly nodding to one another, Felicia spoke up first.

"Eric, we can't stand to see you like this. You love Sookie, and she needs to know that. _You_ _need_ her to know that. If you let her marry Trey without ever telling her how you feel then you will never be good for another woman."

Growling, I cut her off, "I don't want another woman."

It was Alcide who spoke up next. "We know that, Eric. That's why Sookie needs to know it too. The worst thing that will happen is you find out she doesn't feel the same way and she marries Trey as planned. At least that way you will have it off your chest and you can maybe find a way to move on. Move forward."

"You are a great guy, Eric. You're smart, funny, good looking, caring, and a fiercely loyal friend. Women would be throwing themselves at you, if you would only put yourself out there. The pick of the litter would be yours," Felicia chimed in.

I leaned my head back against the couch, knowing in my heart they were right. It would eat me alive if I didn't tell Sookie how I felt. The only problem was I didn't know how to do it. It wasn't something I could blurt out over dinner.

_"Oh hi Sookie, I'm madly in love with you and I have been ever since we met."_

Yeah, that would go over real well.

For the next hour we put our minds together and tried to figure out a way that I could tell her without coming across as a complete and total asshole. Nothing seemed right, and I felt bad monopolizing their time more than I already had. I sent them off to enjoy their evening together as I thought more about how I wanted to tell Sookie.

As I drifted off to sleep that night, an idea formed in my mind, and I knew in my heart that it would work. It would be subtle and yet effective. I couldn't wait to put my plan in motion and I prayed it would work the way I planned it to.

By the end of our night out on Thursday, Sookie would know exactly how I felt about her. I slept peacefully that night for the first time since she had started dating Trey.

* * *

A/N: Please please please do not drink and drive ever. Always call a cab, a friend or a family member to come get you if you have had too much to drink.


	5. Chapter 5: The Song

A/N: I do not own these characters. The wonderfully imaginative Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.

A/N: I want to thank each and everyone of you that has either added me or this story to their alerts and favorites. It warms my heart every time I open my inbox to find an email alerting me to this fact. I think my heart may eventually burst! You guys rock!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

A/N: Smfogleman is the greatest beta in the entire world. My life would suck without her. She takes my mistakes and turns them into gold. In honor of her and the Super Bowl this weekend: WHO DAT

A/N: I do not own the lyrics to the song in this chapter. Bruce Springsteen does. This song melts me every time I listen to it, which is often. It is what inspired this whole story for me.

What's that? I'm talking too much? On with the story then!

* * *

The week moved too slowly for my taste. I was anxious for Thursday night. I was going to finally tell Sookie how I felt about her. I knew her well, and I knew there would be no way she could mistake what I was going to tell her. If she still chose to marry Trey in the end then there was nothing I could do about it. I was learning to make peace with that situation. It was killing me to think of that outcome, but in the end I really did want Sookie to be happy.

Felicia had camped out at Alcide's and my apartment all week, terrified I was going to back out on my plans. Though she would never admit it, she was afraid I was going to do something stupid to harm myself. She was so motherly at times it was frightening.

I still couldn't believe how excited she had gotten when I had filled her and Alcide in on my plan. She had acted like a child on Christmas morning. It warmed my heart a bit to know that she cared so much. Alcide was truly a lucky man to have her.

I had called Sookie on Sunday to tell her I had figured out where I wanted us to go for our weekly outing. When I mentioned driving back to Bon Temps to go to Merlotte's the surprise in her voice was evident. She questioned my motivation for returning to our home town, so I made up the excuse of wanting to get away for a night. She seemed to be okay with that. I knew she missed being around Amelia and Sam, but with school it was hard to go back often. I told her I was a bit stressed with classes and that being home, in a familiar surrounding would do me good. It was a believable excuse. This semester was a tough one, but that was due in part to the fact that Sookie had taken up permanent residence in my thoughts, distracting me from my studies.

As much as I enjoyed the thought of going home again for a break from the daily grind, I had other motives in mind. Merlotte's was the first place Sookie and I bonded and it only seemed proper to tell her my feelings in the place where it all got started. Oh, yes. I was going to make this a trip she would never forget.

* * *

It is 5:30 on Thursday night as I pull up outside of Sookie's apartment. I find her ready and waiting for me. It is a sight I could get used to very easily. I am wearing my "Born in the USA" t-shirt with my grey sweater in the hopes she will remember our first outing together. I am going to pull out all the stops tonight in the hopes of making her mine. I get out of the car to open her door for her, and I hear her gasp as she takes in my outfit.

"Eric, you have to be kidding me. You're wearing that?"

I can feel my face fall at her words. Does she not like the outfit anymore? Maybe this evening wasn't going to work out as planned. Maybe I had put too much stock in her sentimentality. Sookie doesn't give me more than a second to ponder these thoughts, because she suddenly starts unzipping her jacket. As much as I enjoy the thought of her stripping for me, I am wondering what she is up to.

"What are you doing Sookie? It is freezing out," the words die on my lips as I see what is under her jacket. Sookie is wearing her "Darkness on the Edge of Town" t-shirt. The same shirt she wore that day years ago. _Maybe this evening is going to work out after all_. I let out a little laugh while I take in the sight of her.

"Great minds, Stackhouse. Great minds."

We get in the car and take off down the road for Bon Temps. I diverge a bit from our original outing, by putting Tunnel of Love in my CD player. This earns me a curious glance from Sookie.

"This seems like an odd choice for you to play Eric."

I shrug and tell her the truth, "I think it is one of his better CD's. You can really feel his pain over the ending of his marriage and his hesitant willingness to open up to a chance at love again."

Sookie is quiet for a moment, and I am worried I may have said too much too soon.

"I guess I never listened to it with that perspective before," she tells me. I glance over and notice she has an introspective look on her face. I decide to let her think about what I said.

Settling into a comfortable silence, I let the music send a message to Sookie and drive on.

There is no traffic on the road and it only takes us forty-five minutes to reach Merlotte's. As we pull into the parking lot I can hear the music blasting through the front doors.

"Why is it so loud?"

"It's karaoke night, Sookie. Didn't Amelia tell you they started hosting it on Thursdays? Hoyt runs it." I can't contain my smile when I glance at her face. It is a mixture of apprehension and amusement.

"We are doing karaoke? Are you serious, Eric?" She asks me with a hint of fear in her voice.

"You don't have to sing, darling, but yes, I will be singing. I figure this is a fun change from what we normally do, and a nice escape from everything that is going on right now."

I laugh loudly at the look of disbelief on her face but put my hand on her lower back and lead her to the front door. Upon walking inside, I notice Lafayette is up on the stage singing "It's Raining Men," and Sookie's laughter tickles my ears. I must admit, it is quite the performance, and I am even happier that we came. What an appropriate song choice for him.

I spot a vacant booth and lead us to it, much like I did on our first outing. That day seems to be replaying itself because I am quickly surrounded by Amelia's arms and welcoming voice.

"Why didn't you call and tell us you were coming here tonight, young man," she chastises me.

Ah, I have missed her.

"Sorry, Amelia, I wanted to surprise Sookie, and I wasn't sure if you'd speak to her beforehand and ruin it for me."

The look on Amelia's face is priceless and she is about to say something, but Sam chuckles and shakes my hand and gives Sookie a hug, welcoming us home.

My mood is temporarily soured when Amelia asks Sookie to see her ring and Sookie shows it to her with pride. I have to admit, in spite of myself, it is a nice ring. Trey has good taste, but it's too flashy for Sookie, in my opinion. Plus I know she isn't overly fond of diamonds. I would give her a nice simple band with her birthstone, a beautiful opal. The stone fits Sookie's personality better; pure but full of layers and bursting with color. Diamonds are too cold.

After my bender the other night, I am not really in the mood to drink, but I know a beer will help calm my nerves. I order a New Castle, and Sookie opts for her usual, a gin and tonic. We settle into our booth and I can feel my nerves growing when I think about what I am going to do later. Sookie seems to be relaxing and enjoying herself, so I try my best to calm down. I am determined to make this night one to remember, for both of us. I only hope I don't make a total fool out of myself in the process.

Upon finishing my beer, I excuse myself from the table, telling Sookie I am going to the restroom, but instead I take steps to put my master plan in motion. I steal Sam away from the bar for a moment and fill him in on my plan.

"I always knew you were in love with her, Eric. I don't know why it has taken you so long to tell her, but I suppose that isn't any of my business. I want you both to be happy, and if being together is the way to do that, then I want that for you. You have both grown into such amazing adults, and I am proud to consider you both my children. Amelia has been waiting for the two of you to admit your feelings for years now. She wants you to live happily ever after. I'm going to have one happy wife on my hands if this works."

I can feel my happiness bubbling up inside of me. Having Sam's approval means a lot to me. For him to be telling me this feels like my father is giving me his approval as well. Hell, I should probably call my dad and fill him in. I make a mental note to do so tomorrow.

And what is this about Amelia wanting _us_ to admit our feelings? Does she know something about Sookie that I don't? A new wave of hope fills my heart, and I set about my plan with a renewed determination.

As I make my way back to the booth I see Amelia getting up to leave and Sookie has a bit of a crestfallen look upon her face.

"What's wrong, Sookie? What did Amelia say to you?"

"Oh, it was nothing, Eric. Just some girl talk," she tells me, playing it off. I know she isn't telling me the entire truth, but this isn't the time or place to press her for more information. I have more important plans in mind, and I need to be on my A-game.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can we get Eric to the stage," I hear Hoyt say, and my nerves begin to flare up once again.

I give myself a small pep talk. You can do this, Northman, you can do this. Just go up there and show her what she's missing.

"You are really going to sing, Eric? I thought you were joking."

"Yes, Sookie, I am really going to sing. In fact this song is just for you, darling," I tell her and turn to make my way to the stage.

This is it. This is how I am going to tell Sookie how I feel about her.

Bruce Springsteen has always been a bonding point for us and I hope he won't let me down tonight.

I ascend the stage and focus my eyes right on Sookie's. There will be no mistaking my intent. I know she will understand what I am trying to tell her. The lyrics speak for themselves.

I hear the opening strands begin but I don't need to look at the screen. I know these words by heart.

_Hey little girl is your daddy home?  
Did he go away and leave you all alone?  
I got a bad desire,  
I'm on fire._

This next verse is my favorite and I hope to get a reaction out of her.

_Tell me now baby is he good to you?  
Can he do to you the things that I do?  
I can take you higher,  
I'm on fire._

I can feel her gaze burning a hole into my face, and I know I have succeeded in getting a rise out of her. She might love Trey, but there is no way he can make her feel the way I can.

_Sometimes it's like someone took a knife baby,  
Edgy and dull, and cut a six-inch valley,_

_Through the middle of my soul._

I watch as Sookie visibly takes in a breath of air at the words. No lyric could be more truthful. Watching her with Trey these past few years, and listening to her talk about him has torn me to shreds, and I need her to know this. I need her to know how empty I am inside without her. How much I need her in order to breathe.

_At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet,  
And a freight train running through the  
Middle of my head.  
Only you can cool my desire,  
I'm on fire_

It is my turn to pierce her with my gaze. I am holding nothing back, and I let my desire for her come shining through in my stare. The dreams I have had about this woman have left me craving more, and no one will ever be able to satisfy me the way she will.

I watch as Sookie shudders as the words sink in, and if I'm not mistaken I see desire crest across her face as well. As I whistle out the final chords of the song I know I have gotten my point across.

Sookie is sitting in our booth, cheeks flushed, eyes filled with swirling emotions and a look that can only be described as absolute terror mixed with sheer excitement.

The bar erupts into a round of applause, but I do not care about their reaction. That song was for Sookie, and Sookie only. Her reaction is the only one that means anything to me. I take my time walking back to the booth and smile as I watch her eyes slowly glance up and down my body. A sense of satisfaction spreads throughout me, and I can feel my desire for this woman increase ten-fold.

Resuming my seat across from her I smile at her with what I believe is my sexiest grin.

"I'm on fire for you, Sookie."

The blush on her cheeks deepens and I know I have won, even if it's just a small victory in this battle.

I have said my piece. The ball is in her court now.

For the first time in a long time, I am feeling confident about my chances.

Game, set, match.

* * *

A/N: The image of Eric singing that is seared into my brain and I almost didn't want to share it *grins*


	6. Chapter 6: What Sookie Thinks

**A/N:** First of all, I would like to apologize for taking so long to get this posted. Real Life got in the way in a big way. But alas, here it is! It's Sookie's POV. Now you all get to see what's been going through her mind for a while.

**A/N:** I owe the biggest thanks in the world to the amazing Smfogleman. She seriously helped me re-work this chapter when it was a total mess. You have her to thank for pointing me in the right direction! I also want to wish her a very belated birthday. :-)

She has two amazingly wonderful stories I highly recommend checking out:

A Royal Engagment, her ongoing fic: http:// www. fanfiction. net/s/5539792/1/A_Royal_Engagement (just remove the little spaces)

The Pact, which won the Poppin' Eric's Cherry contest http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5518319/1/The_Pact (again, remove the spaces)

**A/N:** Check out the amazing banner that the supremely talented Miss Construed made me! http://img90. imageshack. us/img90/8110/monfirebanner. jpg

If you haven't read her story Sorry Ladies, Northman's Off the Market then you don't know what you are missing!!

http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5326660/1/Sorry_Ladies_Northmans_Off_the_Market

**A/N:** Charlaine Harris owns these characters. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.

* * *

Did that really happen? Did Eric just sing that song to me? Surely he knows what that song is about. I mean he must.

"I'm on fire for you, Sookie," he says as he takes his seat.

My breath catches in my throat, and I am completely overwhelmed. I feel the blush creep across my cheeks as what happened settles in. I sneak a glance at him and suck in a breath at what I am seeing. The look on his face is too much for me to handle.

I lean back in the booth and close my eyes for a moment against the torrent of emotion in Eric's face.

Where did this new found confidence come from? Eric has never been this sure about himself regarding anything. Why did he have to do this now? I have always suspected that he had feelings for me, but since I met Tray I put that suspicion aside. I would be lying if I said I never thought about dating Eric, though.

This is too much for me to handle right now. I tell him to give me a minute, because I need some fresh air. Ever the gentleman, he gets up and immediately offers to take me home.

"No, I'm not ready to leave. I just need to go outside. I won't be long. I promise." I find myself not wanting to leave yet, no matter how much trouble this could lead to.

"Are you sure you are alright," he asks, concern lighting his voice. I offer a brief smile and walk out the door. My silence is my self defense.

* * *

The cold air feels wonderful against my overheated skin, and I stand still and enjoy the calm atmosphere. I can still hear the noises coming from the bar, but I can't focus on that right now. I have too many conflicting emotions swirling around in my head at the moment.

Eric is on fire for me. _For me_. The thought keeps rolling around in my head, and I can't help but feel a bubble of excitement inside. We have been best friends for the past five years, and deep down inside I have always felt an attraction to him.

I will never forget the first time we met.

* * *

I was sitting in my seat waiting for class to begin when I heard the seat next to mine being pulled out. Nobody ever sat next to me, so I was instantly curious. I lifted my head to see the most attractive specimen to ever grace the halls of our school taking the seat next to me. He looked terrified to be there. I regained my senses and embraced my southern hospitality and introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Sookie Stackhouse. You must be new here. Welcome to Bon Temps."

He stuttered out a response of "Uh, yeah." Oh yes, he was terrified to be here.

A giggle erupted from my chest, and I guess it prompted him to reply because he continued, "I'm Eric. My family just moved to town. It's nice to meet you Sookie."

This was Eric? Oh. My. God. I had heard that he was moving to town from Sam and Amelia. It was all they could talk about. Why couldn't they have mentioned how attractive he was? He was easily the most attractive person I had ever laid eyes on. His nervousness only served to make him more handsome to me. Sam only said how excited he was that his friend was moving to town with his wife and son.

I wanted to talk to Eric more, but Mr. Chow began class. The day passed too slowly in my opinion, and I was disappointed to discover that Eric and I only had one other class together. When I was leaving school for the day I spotted him in the parking lot. Before I could stop myself, I was calling his name and running to catch up to him. I volunteered to take him on a tour of the town and gave him my number. I know on the outside it seemed like I was only being a friendly townsperson and classmate, but I really wanted to spend more time getting to know him. He had barely spoken to me and yet I was intrigued by him. I knew he had to be something special for Sam to brag about him as much as he did. I couldn't explain it, but I felt like I had to get to know him better.

As the week progressed, we found time to chat a bit before class, and I was able to glean some more information about him. I liked everything I learned. Saturday couldn't come quickly enough for me.

When Saturday finally rolled around I made sure to be at his house at 10 A.M. on the dot. I was so excited to spend an entire day with him. I loved Bon Temps, and I was eager to show him how wonderful it really could be. He climbed into the car, and I started it up only to be assaulted by Springsteen blaring out of my speakers. I probably should have turned the volume down before letting him in.

"Are you a Springsteen fan?" he asked me, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"Only completely! The Boss is my favorite!"

"Bruce is my favorite as well," he told me. Could he be any more amazing? I had yet to meet anyone my age that loved Springsteen as much as I did. It only served to reinforce my desire to get to know him better.

I took him to Merlotte's for breakfast, figuring it would be a good place to start the day. He proved himself to be a gentleman by opening and holding the door for me. Who ever said chivalry was dead was sorely mistaken. We had barely made it to the booth before Amelia had her arms wrapped around Eric in a giant hug. I couldn't contain my smile as I watched them interact. Amelia and Sam had always been like family to me, and I liked knowing they viewed Eric in that manner as well. It was one more thing we had in common. I liked finding out these little things. It made my attraction to him more concrete. I wasn't only attracted to his looks. Eric eventually made them aware of my presence, and Amelia pulled me up for a hug as well. They soon took their leave, allowing us to be alone once again. I told Eric it was obvious they adored him, because it was.

"Me! No Sookie, you should have seen the adoration in Amelia's eyes when she spotted you sitting there," he told me and I blushed.

Amelia had always been like a mother to me, so I told him that. I think he sensed my discomfort because he changed the subject by asking what the plans for the day were. I decided to leave the plans a secret, so I told him it was a ordered our food and ate making small talk here and there.

When the bill arrived I quickly grabbed for it, but Eric was faster. This wasn't good. I was the one that invited him out for the day. It wouldn't be right to let him pay. I argued with him about paying for it, but he got me to back off by bringing Amelia into it. She really would have scolded him for not paying. She believed that it was the gentlemanly thing to do, and Eric certainly was proving himself to be a gentleman.

We left and headed out for our tour of the town. I showed him all of the various places that made Bon Temps special and included little anecdotes alongside the factual info. I can be such a nerd when it comes to History. I eventually took him to the small diner where Lafayette worked. He made the best burger in town, and it was something that Eric needed to experience. Eric asked me about my car, and I had a mini breakdown as I thought about losing my father once again. My parent's death still took its toll on my emotions from time to time, though I had long ago come to terms with it.

We talked about Gran for a little while, and my mood instantly improved. She is the greatest woman I have ever known and my pillar of strength. I asked him about his childhood and what it was like growing up in Sweden. He told me various stories, and I enjoyed every moment of getting to know him better. After lunch we resumed our tour of the town, and I took him to the one spot I really wanted him to see.

We hiked for an hour until we reached my favorite place in the whole town. It was a gorgeous view and a place where I would go to relax. As we stood there and watched the sun begin its descent, he grabbed my hand and held it. My heart fluttered in my chest, and I knew I was starting to fall for him. Once we had returned to the bottom of the hill I was overheated and took my sweater off, revealing my Springsteen shirt underneath. Eric had removed his sweater as well, revealing his Bruce shirt. We both shared a laugh, and he complimented me on my good taste. I secretly loved knowing that we had that in common. I had to attend church in the morning, so I took him home. I didn't want the day to end, but I knew it had to.

After that first day we were inseparable throughout senior year. I had quickly fallen head over heels for Eric, and at times I was certain he liked me as more than a friend too, but he never pursued anything. I was afraid of him not returning my feelings and getting my heartbroken, so I never said a word. I was certain it would ruin our friendship if I said something and he didn't return the sentiment. I was such a chicken. We both applied to the same schools and eventually decided to attend the same one close to home. I had hoped that maybe with the change of a new environment Eric would finally ask me out, but he didn't.

When I met Tray at freshman registration I felt a hint of attraction to him. It caught me off guard. I hadn't found anyone else attractive since meeting Eric. He was a nice guy, and we became fast friends. We had a history class together, and he asked me out on a date after a few months. At first I didn't want to accept due to my lingering feelings for Eric, but then again, he had never made an effort, and I was beginning to give up hope, so I said yes to Tray. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. Tray was a really nice guy, and I was excited to be going on a date with him.

I remember when I told Eric that I had a date. His face fell for a moment, but then he quickly recovered and threw up a mask. I wasn't going to analyze the face fall because he had never given me indication that he wanted to date me. He had plenty of chances over the years. I had a date with a great guy and I was going to have fun, dammit!

Tray took me out to a nice restaurant and then bowling. I had a blast, and I only thought of Eric once. He kissed me on the cheek at the end of the night and asked me out again for the following Saturday. I said yes without hesitation and found myself actually meaning it.

Tray and I were soon dating exclusively, and I was honestly happy with him. I still had strong feelings for Eric, but I tucked them away in the back of my mind, certain he didn't return the sentiment, and Tray did make me happy. I even thought I was falling for him. Eric dated a few people from time to time, even staying with one girl for a few months, and it nearly ripped my heart out. I chastised myself for feeling that way. I was dating a wonderful guy, but all I could think about was how Eric dating other people made me feel jealous.

We had made an agreement that we would keep Thursday nights as our hang out night every week. I tried not to think much about what it meant that I looked forward to those nights more than some of my dates with Tray. It wasn't fair to any of us for me to think that way. I really was falling hard for Tray, but I knew that a part of me would always be in love with Eric. He was the first boy to ever evoke such strong feelings in me.

I dated Tray through all four years of college, and I came to love him dearly. When he wanted to take me home to his family over winter break senior year I was both excited and nervous. I had met his mother once, and she was a lovely woman, but to spend an entire weekend with his family was nerve wracking.

I could hardly believe it when Tray proposed to me that weekend. We had barely discussed marriage, and he had given me no indication that he was thinking about asking me. All I could think about was how much I wished it was Eric asking me. It was in that moment that I knew I had to make a choice. I could either pursue Eric and risk him not returning my feelings, or I could stick it out with Tray, whom I knew loved me and who I loved in return. I knew that I could be happy with him for the rest of my life and I decided that it was a good thing. The look of pure joy on his face when I said yes was what finally sealed my decision for me. As the weekend continued I found myself actually excited at the prospect of getting married. I, Sookie Stackhouse, was getting married. The thought of it made me giddy inside.

When we returned to campus I realized I would have to tell Eric. I decided to take him to one of our favorite restaurants. I was hoping the familiar and comfortable setting would make this task a bit easier.

Eric was already at Puccinis when I arrived, looking mouth watering good in his gray charcoal suit. It was one of my favorite outfits on him. He handed me a tulip and pulled my chair out for me. Why did this man have to be so perfect? He wasn't making this any easier on me.

After we ordered some wine and our food, his curiosity got the better of him, and he asked me why I had chosen to come here.

So I told him, "Well, Eric, I have some really big news, and I wanted us to be somewhere special when I told you."

He looked at me, waiting for me to continue, so I just blurted it out.

"Eric, I'm getting married."

His face went pale for a moment, and I was immediately concerned. He sat there not saying a word for a good five minutes, and I started to panic. I laid my hand on his arm and asked him if he was alright. He assured me that he was, and that I had caught him off guard. I wanted to know what he had been expecting me to say, so I asked him. He didn't respond, so I let him know that the proposal had caught me off guard as well. It wasn't a lie after all. Eric actually seemed to be a combination of surprised and relieved at my words. When he lifted his glass of wine to propose a toast I knew I had been wrong in my thoughts. He wasn't upset, just surprised. He was congratulating me on my engagement and wishing Tray and I would be happy. I had the feeling that he wasn't entirely sincere in his toast: something in the tone of his voice gave me that indication. We soon lapsed into an awkward and uncomfortable silence.

Eventually he broke the silence by wanting to know if I would tell him about it. I knew he couldn't possibly want to hear about it, so I decided to lighten the mood by teasing him about his feminine side. It was a favorite pastime of mine. He assured me that he wanted to know, so I told him all about the weekend and how Tray proposed. It was a very uncomfortable night, but we both danced around that fact. He kissed me goodbye after dinner and we parted ways. I was sure that I had damaged something between us, so I was incredibly surprised when he called me to make our weekly plans. When he suggested going back to Merlotte's I was even more surprised.

As the week progressed, I found myself excited to be going back home. It would be a nice break away from school and everything else. I could always relax when I was in Bon Temps. I was also excited to be going back to the place where our friendship had gotten started. If I had damaged something, I was determined to repair it. I was not going to lose my best friend over this. An amused thought crossed my mind, and I decided to run with it. I wore my Springsteen shirt with jeans and a sweater just like I had the first time we had gone out.

When Eric arrived and got out of his car, and I took the time to look at him, I gasped. He was wearing his _Born in the U.S.A._ t-shirt again. I guess great minds really did think alike, we were both wearing the same outfits as our first outing. Maybe he was trying to tell me something after all. I shook my head to clear that thought. It was just a coincidence. That or he was determined to not let our friendship fall apart as well. The ride back to Bon Temps was an interesting one and I was lost in my thoughts for most of the trip.

When we pulled into the Merlotte's parking lot, I could hear loud music blaring from inside.

"Why is it so loud?"

"It's karaoke night, Sookie. Didn't Amelia tell you they started hosting it on Thursdays? Hoyt runs it."

A mixture of excitement and apprehension ran through me. I love karaoke but I had always been too terrified to sing. I hoped Eric wasn't planning on having me sing.

As if sensing my fear he told me, "You don't have to sing, darling, but, yes, I will be singing. I figure this is a fun change from what we normally do and a nice escape from everything that is going on right now."

That sounded reasonable enough, but I wasn't sure I believed him. I would kill him if he signed me up behind my back. We went inside, and I almost died with laughter. Lafayette was on stage singing "It's Raining Men." What an appropriate song choice.

Much like our first outing Amelia approached us, wrapping her arms around Eric and chastising him for not letting them know we were coming. Amelia asked to see my ring, and I showed it to her, noticing the hard look on Eric's face when I did. We ordered our drinks, settled in and enjoyed the performances. Eric excused himself a little later to use the restroom. In his absence Amelia came over to sit with me.

Once again she told me how happy she was for me and then asked me if I was really happy as well. Amelia was the one person who knew how deep my feelings for Eric ran, and I knew she wanted us to be together. Her intentions were good, and as much as I did want to be with Eric, I had made my peace that it wasn't going to happen the minute I accepted Tray's proposal. I was happily engaged, so I told her I was sure this was what I wanted. Eric came back to the table as she and I finished talking, and he noticed that I was a bit upset. When he asked what was wrong I played it off as girl talk. No sense in ruining a perfectly fun outing.

A minute later, I heard Hoyt announce that they needed Eric to come to the stage.

"You are really going to sing, Eric? I thought you were joking," I told him.

"Yes, Sookie, I am really going to sing. In fact this song is just for you, darling," he told me before he took the stage.

Eric was going to sing for me? I could hardly believe it.

When I heard the first bars of "I'm on Fire" start to play I felt my face get hot. It was a very sexy song and one of my personal favorites.

The moment I heard Eric sing, wetness pooled between my legs. I was burning with desire for this man. I had heard him sing along to the radio before, but nothing like this. The gorgeous hunk of a man that I had secretly been in love with for years was singing this incredibly erotic song to me. He was singing _to me_. My heart was pounding in my chest at the thought. I could not believe it. He caught me completely off guard. I may have been in love with him, but nothing could prepare me for the onslaught of emotion this brought out in me. I was simultaneously exhilarated and furious and it was creating an interesting sensation within me.

When he returned to the table and locked eyes with me I couldn't control the blush on my cheeks. Him singing that song was the hottest thing I had ever seen and heard.

* * *

So here I am, standing outside in the cool air trying to clear my head. Part of me is beyond ecstatic that Eric finally made a move to tell me how he felt. The other part of me is beyond furious. Why on earth would he wait until now, until I am engaged to someone else? It doesn't make any sense to me. However, as I think back on everything that has transpired between us, I know with clarity that I am still madly in love with Eric. I love Tray; honestly I do. I wouldn't be marrying him if I didn't. It's not the same as I love Eric though. I'm so confused and unsure of what to do. I sit on the ground and rest my head on my knees. Hurting Tray is the last thing I want to do, but if there is a chance for Eric and I to be together, I want to have it.

I need to talk to Eric and figure out exactly what he feels for me. Only then will I be able to figure out what to do and how to handle this.

Taking a deep breath, I pull myself up off the ground and head back inside.

He immediately stands up from the booth when I get back and grabs my hand.

"Are you alright, Sookie? You were gone for quite a while."

"I'm not sure Eric. I needed to clear my head."

He nods, but still looks confused and concerned.

"Would you mind if we left? I'm kind of ready to go."

"Of course, Sookie. Let me just tell Sam and Amelia goodbye."

I go grab our coats and head outside to wait for him while he tells them goodbye for us. I mentally try to prepare myself for what I have to do. His answer to my question could change everything.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:**I do not own these characters. The wonderfully imaginative Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though

**A/N: **I once again owe all the thanks in my awesometastic beta Smfogleman who is sick right now :-( Go read her amazing story, A Royal Engagement and leave her some love!

http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5539792/1/A_Royal_Engagement (remove spaces)

**A/N:** I have also had the pleasure of becoming a beta/pre-reader for two wonderful ladies and authors! First up is Pixiegiggles. She is the author of the delightful story The FStop. If you like Eric, Nutella, and Plaid, then this is the story for you!! She turns me into a giggly little girl :-)

http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5382421/1/The_FStop (remove spaces)

Then there is my soulmate Missus T . She has two amazing stories going on right now. Leap of Faith and a new one Halo Effect. If you aren't reading these, then you are crazy!!

LOF: http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5640413/1/Leap_of_Faith (remove spaces)

HE: http://www. fanfiction. net/s/5771494/1/Halo_Effect (remove spaces)

Taking off the pimp hat! Enjoy!!

* * *

EPOV

I am scared to think that I have made a mistake telling Sookie how I feel. She has been outside for quite a while. She said she wasn't ready to go home quite yet, but maybe I should take her home anyways. I really hope I didn't do too much damage.

Sam comes by the table with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Well, Eric, you said you were going to tell her how you felt and I would say you certainly did that. Where is she anyways?"

"She said she needed some air. I think I might have scared her off. I hope I wasn't too forward with her. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I need her to know my feelings."

"Eric, I am certain she knows. Don't worry about it. You know how Sookie is. Just give her a minute to come to terms with things. Ya'll are too good of friends for this to blow up in your face. Trust me on this."

I know Sam is right, so I just sit and wait for her to return. I try to pay attention to the other people singing, but my mind can't focus on anything but Sookie and her response.

When she walks back in I let out a sigh of relief because it doesn't appear she has been crying. That is a good sign.

I ask her if she is alright, and she assures me she is.

I'm not sure I believe her, but she asks if we can go ahead and leave. I am willing to do anything for her, so I tell her we can. I tell Sam and Amelia goodbye as she heads out to the car.

Amelia kisses me on the cheek and tells me to keep my head up, she has faith in us. I cannot help but smile, knowing she is rooting for us. Amelia is important to Sookie, and I hope having her on our side will help. Sam shakes my hand and pats me on the back.

When I get outside I don't see Sookie standing around anywhere, so I walk over to the car to find her sitting in the driver's seat.

"Mind if I drive tonight?"

I shake my head to indicate that I don't mind at all. Whatever will make her happy is fine by me. I climb into the passenger seat, strap on my seat belt, and she speeds out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.

Now I remember why I don't let her drive my car often.

SPOV

The air is cool, but I leave the top down on Eric's car. The feel of the wind rushing through my hair and around my face is helping me to keep my calm. Instead of getting on the highway to head back to school I keep driving through town, drawing Eric's attention to me once again.

"Where are we going, Sookie? School is the other direction."

"I know, Eric. There's somewhere I would like us to go first, if that's alright with you."

"Uh, sure, Sookie. Whatever you want."

I drive on with my destination in mind. I need for us to go somewhere special, somewhere that we can be open and honest with each other. Somewhere to make memories. I see our destination ahead in the distance and slowly pull the car over to the side of the road. Killing the engine, I unbuckle my seatbelt and pull my sweater back on to combat the chilly night air.

"Take a walk with me, Eric."

He doesn't respond, but gets out of the car, pulling on his own sweater and follows me as I lead us to our special place. We hike the familiar trail until we reach the top. The overview of the town is nothing short of spectacular at night. All of the buildings are lit up and mingle with the twinkling stars that serve as the backdrop in the night sky. We stand there in silence for a few moments, taking in our surroundings. Eric grabs my hand, much like he did that first time. I take a deep breath and turn to the side to face him. Taking a moment, I marvel at the sheer magnitude of this man. How I ever got so lucky to have him as my best friend I will never know. Add to the fact that he admitted to having feelings for me earlier tonight, and my heart is pounding in my chest in a mixture of nerves and pure excitement.

"Eric, there's something I need to say to you."

Several emotions are swirling in his eyes- fear, desire, affection, but mostly concern.

"You can tell me anything, Sookie."

"Actually, I guess I need to ask you a few things first."

He nods, indicating that I should continue.

"Why did you sing that song to me, Eric? You and I both know what it is about, and I just want to be sure of your motivation for singing it. And if you did mean what I think you did, why did you tell me now?"

I hear him suck in a breath, his palm gets a bit sweaty, and I see the nervousness spread across his face. I give his hand a gentle squeeze, desperately needing him to answer my question. His answer will determine a lot.

"I sang that song, Sookie, because it sums up exactly how I feel about you. How I have felt about you since that first day we hung out, five years ago. You took my breath away on my first day of school when I got to look into those beautiful blue eyes of yours. When you gave me that trip around town and welcomed me with open arms, I started to fall for you. Every minute we spent together I fell even deeper.

"It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach when you told me that Tray had asked you out and that you had accepted. It has been pure torture watching you with him and having to hear about how happy you are. I never said anything because you were my best friend, and I wanted you to be happy.

"The other week, when you told me about your engagement, I could feel my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. You could have stabbed me repeatedly and it wouldn't have compared to the pain I felt. I drank more alcohol that night than I ever have. Alcide found me passed out on the couch the next morning and he and Felicia had to spend the day taking care of me.

"I know the timing is bad, and that I should have said something to you years ago, Sookie, but I need you to hear this now. I sang that song to you because I love you. I have loved you for five years. I need you to know that. I need you to hear it and believe it. I need you to not marry Tray. I'm an asshole for telling you this now, but damn it Sookie, I just have to."

For the second time tonight, Eric had stunned me into silence. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. This man had poured out his heart and soul to me, being more honest with me than he ever had before, and I owed him more than a torrent of tears streaming down my face.

Eric was in love with me.

He was really and truly in love with me. The happiness I feel is causing my heart to swell to the point that I am concerned it is going to burst right out of my chest. Eric loves me! I hadn't been wrong in thinking he had feelings for me: he had admitted it out loud to me. I had made the right decision bringing him here. I need to tell him my feelings as well, so I take another deep breath, willing myself to calm down.

"Eric, I don't even know where to begin. You have _no idea_ how happy have you just made me. The first moment I looked up and saw you sitting next to me in class I was done for. I had never seen anyone as breathtakingly handsome as you. When I offered to show you around I wanted it to come across as me being a good townsperson, but really all I wanted was to spend time with you. I had more fun with you in one day than I had ever had showing someone the town. I knew immediately that I was going to fall for you. "I kept waiting and waiting for you to ask me out throughout the year, but you never did, so I just assumed you didn't have feelings for me after all. When Tray asked me out I said yes because it was nice to be wanted by someone. I would be lying to you if I didn't say that I wished it had been you asking me out that day. You never made a move to stop me from dating him, so I took it as another sign that you didn't care for me like that.

"Tray makes me happy, he really does. I love him. It's not the same though. I don't feel with him the way I feel when I am with you. It scares me, Eric. You took root in my heart and you have refused to let go. You might have moved aside to give Tray a portion, but you were always the dominate faction of my heart, whether I knew it or not. I love you, Eric Northman."

EPOV

My heart is pounding so loudly in my ears that I am certain I have been hearing things. Did Sookie really tell me she loves me too? That she has been in love with me for these past five years as well? There is no possible way. It is too much to hope for. I am completely blown away.

"What did you just say?"

"I said; I love you, Eric. I am head over heels, totally and completely, madly in love with you."

The smile on her face is blinding and her eyes are glistening with unshed tears. I can feel my own eyes begin to fill up, but quickly brush them away, because like Robert Smith said "Boys Don't Cry".

"I love you too, Sookie," I say as I gather her into my arms, enveloping her in a crushing hug.

We stand there, wrapped in each others embrace for a good five minutes, slowly rocking back and forth, breathing one another in.

Pulling back I tell her, "I can't think of a better place for you to have told me this. This is the place where I realized I was going to fall hard for you. Watching the sunset that evening, it cast such a glow around you, and your beauty was overwhelming. I wasn't sure I was ever going to be able to get enough of you. I know now that I never will."

Her tears spill over and I pull her back in to my embrace, loving the feeling of her finally being in my arms. Exactly where she belongs.

I am unable to resist the pull I feel, so I tilt her back a bit and stare into the blue eyes that started this whole thing rolling. I slowly lean down, stopping a fraction from her lips. I have wanted to kiss her like this for so long and I want to savor the moment. I brush a stray piece of hair away from her face, and she lets out a sigh of contentment. This is all the encouragement I need, and I close the tiny gap putting my lips to hers. They are soft and full beneath mine, and the taste is distinctly Sookie, cinnamon and something almost sweet.

I could stay like this, kissing her this way forever, but I want more. I slowly probe her lips with my tongue, requesting entrance. I feel her sigh again as she parts them and her tongue glides out to meet mine. Slipping my tongue into her waiting mouth, I groan at the sensation. The recesses of her mouth are so warm and silky, and I lose myself in the feeling. When the lack of oxygen becomes too much I gently pull away, resting my forehead against hers. Her eyes flutter open and I can see the desire cresting in them once again, tangling with love.

Unable to resist, I press my lips to hers once again, but this time the kiss is slow and sweet. Love for this amazing woman fills my entire being, and I am happier than I have ever been.

When we pull away this time, I wrap her back up in my arms and we stand there enjoying the night and the feeling of being together.

* * *

A/N: They're young. They're in love. Don't you just hate them!!! :-p Next time on I'm on Fire: What about Tray? *runs away laughing*


	8. Chapter 8: What About Tray?

A/N: I do not own these characters. The wonderfully imaginative Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though

A/N: I apologize for taking a while to update. Real life has been busy as of late, and my poor beta has been sick. :-( I have also found myself enthralled in a thrilling romance with a fictional character named Jamie Fraser... so you can blame him :-)

**Support Stacie is an amazing cause that helps raise money for the cancer treatments of a fellow fanfic writer. There is another auction March 26-29 to fund her April round of care. Bid on your favorite authors and tell them what you want them to write! I have an offer available to write just about anything. Just no Quinn :-) You can follow on twitter SupportStacie or check out the auction forum, .?f=7. My information can be found in the Southern Vampires Mysteries/True Blood page. Please donate to a good cause! If you don't bid on me, there are some wonderful other ladies up for bid: sheba6086, misscyn, PrincessStayPuff, seastarr08 (2), Lindsay K(2), Lub a Dub (2), Miss Construed (2), Pixiegiggles, sunkisz, thyra10, greenlemons (2), and Ohfortuneslost. **

**In light of stories being pulled from this site, we authors have begun to find other places to post our stories as means of backup. Check out this amazing site, the Sookieverse ****www(dot)thesookieverse(dot)com and find where else they are posting!! :-)**

Anyways, on with the story!!

* * *

**SPOV**

I can only imagine how large the smile on my face is at the moment. Eric and I admitted our love for each other! I am wrapped up in his arms now and I have never felt this safe, cherished, and happy. My lips still tingle from the feeling of his on mine. I have never felt a kiss down to the depths of my toes, not even when Tray kissed me, and he was a very good kisser.

_Tray._ Shit. How could I forget about him? Even for a minute.

I know how. Eric. Eric and his declaration that was followed by that amazing kiss.

I know that I can't marry Tray. Not now. Not knowing that Eric feels the way he does about me. How am I supposed to tell him though?

Sighing I pull back to talk to Eric about this. This has to be resolved before we can move forward as a couple.

"What do we do about Tray?"

His brow furrows as he contemplates his response.

"I can't answer that for you, Sookie. Obviously he needs to know. Now that I know you love me as well, I have no intention of letting you go. It wouldn't be fair to Tray for you to keep him hanging on."

"I have no intention of letting you go either, Eric. I just don't want to hurt him. He's a wonderful guy and he has been nothing short of amazing to me. I love him."

Eric's smile fades as those words leave my lips.

"Eric, you know that I love him. I wouldn't have agreed to marry him if I didn't."

"I know that, Sookie. It doesn't mean I like hearing it, especially not after I find out that you love me."

I understand that, Eric. I really do. This is going to break Tray's heart though. How can I do that to him?"

Tears begin to well up in my eyes again as I think of just how much pain I am going to be causing Tray. Eric is right though. He needs to know, and soon. There is no way I am going to drag this out and cause him any more suffering than I am already going to be. Eric must see the tears in my eyes because he pulls me back into his arms for a hug.

"It's going to be alright, Sookie. I'll be here for you, every step of the way. I promise."

I sob quietly into his shirt for a few more minutes, before composing myself.

"It's late. We should probably be heading back."

"Yeah, we probably should."

We turn to head back to the car and Eric grabs my hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. I can't help but turn to smile at him as we climb in and take off.

The ride back is fairly silent. I am too lost in my thoughts of how to tell Tray what has happened, while causing the least amount of pain possible.

Eric holds my hand the entire ride home, only dropping it to switch gears. I can feel him rubbing the band of my engagement ring and I know that I need to take it off as soon as I make it back to my apartment. I am relieved that Tray had planned on staying at his own place tonight; because there is no way I would be able to face him at the moment. After what seems like only minutes, Eric rolls to a stop in front of my building and gives my hand a gentle squeeze to get my attention.

"Sookie, listen to me. You need to go inside and get a good night sleep and it will all come to you. There is no easy way to do this, but you know that you have to. If he really loves you as much as it seems he does, then he will want you to be happy. It's going to be hard for him, there is no avoiding that, but you have to have faith that he will find the person that is right for him. I wish I could be there with you, but this is something that you need to do yourself. I will be waiting for you when you need me. I've waited five years, another day won't kill me."

Leaning over I plant a soft kiss to his cheek before getting out of the car.

"Thank you, Eric. Good night."

I let myself into the apartment and go through my routine to get ready for bed. Before climbing in, I call Tray and tell him I need to see him tomorrow. Slipping my engagement ring off my finger I crawl under the covers and cry myself to sleep, thinking about the fact that I am going to break a kind and loving man's heart.

**EPOV**

Letting Sookie go home alone is hard. I want nothing more than to spend the night with her wrapped up in my arms, but I know that she needs her space at the moment. I also wish that I could be there with her when she talks to Tray because I know that she is going to need someone to comfort her. Hell I'd even offer Tray some comfort if I thought it would help. I know what it's like to watch Sookie be in love with someone else, the pain of her slipping through your fingers. Although, I suppose I never really had her. Hopefully he will prove to be as good of a guy as he seems, and he will let her go.

I actually feel kind of guilty knowing that I am the reason all of this is happening. If I had only been honest with Sookie from the beginning we could have been together all of this time. It would be my ring she is wearing, not his. She would never have dated Tray and none of us would be in this position. Rubbing a hand over my face I sit down on the couch and pop open a beer.

I try to pay attention to the game that Alcide has left running on the television, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Sookie. We admitted our mutual love for each other tonight and I know that we are both ecstatic about that. I hate that it is being overshadowed the awfulness of what she has to do now. I lean my head back and mentally kick myself once again.

"Hey man, how'd it go tonight? What are you doing back here?" Alcide asks walking back into the room.

I lift my head to look at him and he must notice the grimace on my face because his smirk disappears immediately.

"Oh shit, man! Did she not respond favorably? If she didn't then she sure as hell isn't worth it. What you did took some real balls."

I let out a small chuckle. I can always count on Alcide to be in my corner, no matter the situation.

"Actually, tonight went well. Really well," I say with a huge grin spreading across my face.

"What? Then why the fuck are you sitting here on the couching moping over a beer? What happened? Actually wait a minute. Felicia, get in here. Eric's back," Alcide said, bellowing the last part

I hear some rustling noises and the creak of the bed and then a blur as Felicia comes running into the room tying her robe in place. Ah, no wonder the television was still on. She takes one look at the smile on my face and throws her arms around me in a crushing hug.

"I can't breathe, Felica"

Pulling back, she apologizes, "Sorry. I saw the smile on your face and took it to be good news, and you know how I get with good news."

"Alright man, tell us what happened," Alcide pestered me.

I contemplate making them sweat it out, but I am too excited about the new development to make them suffer.

I simply say, "We're in love."

Felicia's loud squeal pierces my eardrums and her arms once again find themselves wrapped around my neck. This time Alcide pulls her back to sit in his lap.

"Let him finish, hon."

"Thanks, Alcide. Well let me see. I went to pick her up, and she actually laughed at me when she saw what I was wearing. Turns out she decided to wear her old Springsteen shirt too. I couldn't believe it. Anyways, we went to Merlottes and I filled Sam in on my plan. They eventually called my name and I told Sookie that my song was going to be for her. Then I sang it. I wish I could have taken a picture of the look on her face, though I'm not likely to ever forget it. When I was finished I went back to the table and she got real quiet and then excused herself to go get some air. I was terrified that I had scared her away. She was outside for quite a while and I'll be honest, I was really starting to panic. When she came back in she asked if we could leave, but said she wasn't ready to go home just yet. She wanted to drive, so I let her, figuring we would come straight back here, but no. She drove us to that hill where we hiked that first time we hung out. Once we were up at the lookout she asked me about the song and why I sang it. I just couldn't keep it in any longer and I blurted out everything I was feeling towards her."

I heard Felicia squeal from Alcide's lap and I grinned. She didn't know the half of it.

"Sookie admitted to having had feelings for me since high school as well. Apparently she had been waiting for me to speak up and say something, but when I never did, she gave up hope. So when Tray asked her out she said yes. She loves him, but not the same way she loves me. I kissed her finally. It was better than I could have ever imagined."

At this point Felicia was actually crying. I almost felt bad telling her the rest.

"She's going to break up with Tray. I feel bad for the guy. He doesn't deserve to be hurt. Believe me I know how bad it feels to be hurt by Sookie. Nobody should have to feel that. I don't know what to do for her to make it easier. I'm not sure there is anything I can do. I'm going to give her time though. She knows I am here for her."

Felicia and Alcide take one look at each other and then both wrap me up in a hug. Alcide is never this touchy-feely, so I'm a bit spooked.

"I'm really happy for you man. Congrats."

"Eric, I just, oh, I am so happy for you," Felicia tells me through her tears. "Everything will work out with Tray, I just know it."

I wish I was as confident as her. A small part of me is terrified that Sookie is going to change her mind; that I am going to wake up tomorrow and none of this will have ever happened. The three of us sit up and talk for a bit longer, before I decide to turn in. I want to be rested and ready for when Sookie needs me. I fight the urge to call her so I can hear her sweet voice once more before bed. She needs her rest as much as I do. Instead I pull the covers up to my neck and let sleep overtake me.

**SPOV**

I roll over and let out a loud groan. The sun streaming in through my window alerts me to the fact that it is time to face the day, which means facing Tray. My clock reads 11 A.M. wave of sadness crashes through me once again when I think about what I am going to be doing later today. Tray has agreed to meet me for lunch around 1 P.M., which gives me about two hours to compose myself.

I turn on my cell phone and climb out of bed, preparing to hop into the shower. I hear an obnoxious beep letting me know that I have a new text message. I flip it open to see that the message is from Eric. It simply reads "I love you." My heart jumps to life and I head to the shower with a renewed purpose. I am doing this so that I can be with the love of my life.

* * *

When I get to the park on campus, I find Tray already waiting for me. He greets me with a huge smile and a kiss, grabbing my hand in his. A look of pure confusion crosses his face when he feels skin where my engagement ring should be.

"Where is your ring, Sookie?"

Swallowing my fear, I tell him, "We need to talk Tray."

Sadness etches across his face, and he takes in a deep breath.

"I think I know what this is about. It's Eric isn't it?"

No other question could have surprised me more.

"I'm sorry, what?"

He chuckles, but the sound is sad and not at all funny. Raising a hand to my face he softly caresses my cheek.

"You don't need to answer me. I should have known this was never going to last. You've always been in love with him. It was pretty obvious the first time I saw the two of you together. I knew it deep down inside, but I also knew that I could make you happy. I figured it was worth a try."

"Tray, I don't know what to say. You do make me happy, very happy, I just.."

"I'm not Eric. I know, Sookie."

"I don't understand, Tray. How are you being so calm about this? It is killing me to do this to you. You know that right?"

"Of course I know that, Sookie. It's part of why I fell in love with you. The way you care for others is admirable. I know that you love me, but I also know it's not the same as the love you feel for Eric. I have seen the way you look at him, how you act around him, and when you talk about him, Sookie, it's like you are talking about a god. It's almost reverential. I always hoped that maybe you would come to feel that way about me."

"I wish I could have, Tray. I did fall in love with you. But you are right, it isn't the same."

"I always knew he was in love with you too. He played the part of your best friend well, but I know how much it pained him to see you with me. The man could only hide it but so well. He's going to treat you well, I know that. It pains me to say this, but I think maybe the two of you belong together. I was foolish to think you wouldn't realize it eventually."

I was crying heavily by now. Tray was such an amazing guy and he was being so understanding. I wanted him to be angry with me. I could deal with his anger. This resigned attitude made me feel even worse.

"I'm so sorry, Tray. I really am. I completely understand if you hate me right now. Lord knows I hate myself. You deserve so much better than me."

Placing a finger under my chin and lifting my face so that our eyes met, he gently brushed my tears away.

"Sookie, I could never in a million years hate you. It isn't like you did this on purpose. You love him, you can't help that. Does it hurt to know that I'm losing you? Of course it does, but I want you to be happy. That is all I will ever want for you. Besides, if you weren't the one that was meant for me, that means there is some girl out there waiting for me. I really believe that."

I try to give him back his ring, but he won't take it.

"I gave that ring to you, Sookie. It is yours. Wear it if you want, or put it in your jewelry box; I just ask that you keep it."

I wrap my arms around him in a hug and bury my face in his chest. He smells like hickory and I smile in spite of myself. I have always enjoyed his manly scent. I can't believe how well he is handling this, when I feel like my heart is breaking in two.

He pulls away, places a soft kiss to my lips once more and tells me goodbye. Taking one look in his eyes, I know that he is putting on a brave face for me. He offers me a smile and turns to leave. I know that he is hurting just as much as me. We both try to wear a smile. We both try to mask the pain. I can't think of anything more to say, so I merely stand there, watching as my boyfriend of three years and fiancé of a little over two weeks walks away and out of my life for the time being.

I collapsed onto the nearest bench and cry for what I've lost.

My phone vibrates in my pocket again and I pull it out. I have another text, it's from Eric again. I wipe my tears away and smile, when I see what he has written. "My love will not let you down."

I pull myself up and head back to my apartment. As the sun glows behind me, I look forward to my future, and to my bright star. To Eric.


	9. Chapter 9: Coffee and Lemony Pancakes

**A/N:** I do not own these characters. Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I was I owned Eric though.

**A/N: **I want to thank my awesomesauce beta **Smfogleman **for getting this back to me so quickly. She tore herself away from our favorite plaid wearing Scotsman to do it. I know that wasn't easy.

**A/N:** There be lemons ahead, matey's. This story was rated M for a reason. I owe a huge debt of thanks to **lubadub** she is my partner in crime, my special lady and she held my hand through this lemon. She is the queen of kink. If you don't believe me go check out her stories. Especially Terminal Attraction.

http://www. fanfiction. net/u/2078758/Lubadub just remove those spaces kids!

**EPOV**

Knowing Sookie like I do, I know that she is going to be extremely upset by the time she is finished with Tray. While it won't be a cure all, a cup of her favorite coffee will hopefully help brighten her mood. I make the short trip up to Captain Buzzy's, mine and Sookie's favorite, and get in line to order our drinks. I send Sookie another quick text to tell her to meet me at my apartment when she is finished.

I order myself a mocha with Irish cream and a hazelnut latte for Sookie. Drinks in hand, I turn around to leave, when I see Tray of all people coming through the door. The pain etched on his face tells me that Sookie did what she set out to do. I can't help the surge of happiness that flows through me, when I realize this means that she and I can be together. I immediately feel awful for that, as I continue to look at his face. I know exactly how he feels and I wish that there was some way for me to offer him a sense of comfort. However, I know that anything I say will likely make it worse.

Lifting his head, Tray notices me standing there. A look of pure anger flashes across his face, before he seems to control it, contorting his face into a calm expression.

"Tray, hey man, look," I start to say before he holds his hand up to stop me.

"We need to talk, Eric, but not in here. Let me get a cup of coffee and I'll meet you around the corner."

The last thing I want to do is get into a fight with Tray, but I just stole his fiancée away from him, it's the least I can do to talk with him.

I wander around the corner to the nearest bench and set the coffee down. If he is planning on fighting me, I will remain standing. He is a tall man, but I still have a few inches on him. I'll take any advantage I can in a fight, something I learned early on in life.

I don't have to wait too long before Tray comes out holding a cup of coffee of his own. A sigh of relief escapes my lips when he sets it down on the bench, instead of throwing it in my face.

"Tray, listen," I begin again, but he cuts me off once more.

"No, Eric. I'm going to do the talking, and you are going to listen. There are a few things I need to say."

Nodding, I bite my tongue to refrain from saying anything. I can only imagine what he has to say to me, but I am happy to know he doesn't want to fight.

"I'm sure you know this already, but Sookie broke it off with me. I loved her you know. A lot. She's the best thing to ever happen to me." He stops and takes in a deep breath.

"I could tell that you were in love with her from the beginning. You always looked at her with such longing, and as much as I want to blame you for it, I can't. She's fucking amazing. You have been her best friend for years, so I shouldn't have been surprised to realize that you were in love with her too. I just thanked my lucky stars that when I asked her out, she said yes. I'm not sure I ever stood a chance. I guess she was just oblivious to the way you felt about her. She has always been in love with you though. I knew that. It was almost as obvious as how much you loved her. I really thought that I could make her happy, and I did. Maybe I was an idiot to think that I could contend with you, but I honestly thought I could. Hell I did. We were together for three years. We got engaged for fucks sake." Tray's hands ball up into fists at his sides at this point. I flinch a bit, bracing for impact, but it never comes.

"I am assuming you finally manned up and told her how you felt. She didn't tell me any details, just that you were in love with each other. It's pretty shitty if you did though. We were engaged man. There are some things you just don't do. But what's done is done. She wants to be with you, and I have to accept that. I would never push her to stay with me if she was unhappy. Her happiness means the world to me." He takes a step closer to me, and I wonder briefly if he is finally going to punch me.

"As much as I would love to knock you out right now, it would only serve to piss off Sookie, and it wouldn't do any of us any good. It sure as shit won't help me feel better. Aside from this, you're a good guy, Eric. I may be pissed as hell at you right now, but deep down I know you are a good guy. You better fucking treat her right, or you will answer to me. Sookie is an amazing girl, and if you treat her with anything less than respect we will have a problem. I'm trusting you to not fuck this up, Northman. Don't let me down."

With those parting words, he grabs his cup of coffee and walks off, leaving me standing there in a stunned silence.

After about five minutes I regain my senses and grab the coffee I bought, which is now getting cold, and head back to my apartment.

* * *

When I arrive back at my place, I find Sookie sitting on the front steps and it is clear that she has been crying. In spite of this her face lights up upon seeing me. My heart clamors to life in my chest, knowing that I am the reason for her smile. Taking a good look at me, the smile fades from her face.

"What happened?" she asks.

I admit that my walk home was not a pleasant one. I could not help but replay Tray's words in my mind. He's right. I am an asshole. They were engaged to be married, and that means something. I know that Sookie loves me, and I love her, but what I did was wrong. The love doesn't change that. I hand her the coffee I brought her and she gives me a small smile, but it fades again.

"Are we doing the right thing, Sookie?"

She looks as though I have sucker punched her in the stomach, and she takes in a sharp breath.

"What are you talking about? Are we doing the right thing? Eric, what happened?"

I can't answer her right away.

A startled look crosses her face and I can see tears welling up in her eyes, but she holds them back.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"I ran into Tray at the coffee shop. We talked. He said some things to me, and I can't help but think that he's right. I should never have told you how I felt. I should have let you marry him as planned."

The tears in her eyes disappear, as anger takes their place, and her hands clench up at her side. I know this look. I brace myself for the tongue lashing Sookie is about to unleash on me.

"Eric Northman! I cannot believe you. You told me that you loved me in the most romantic way possible. Something I had been hoping to hear from you for years. I willingly broke off my engagement to another man because I want to be with you. Not him. _You._ So don't you _dare _stand there and tell me that what we are doing is a mistake. If you have changed your mind and decided that you don't want to be with me after all, that's one thing, but do not try to pin this on whether or not we are doing the right thing. We love each other. I want to be with you and I'm pretty sure you want to be with me. You can either decide to be with me or walk away now, Eric. That choice is up to you."

She really does want to be with me.

A desire to claim her sweeps through me, so I pull her to me and plant my lips on hers for a demanding kiss. Her lips part and a moan escapes. I take advantage and slip my tongue into her mouth to wrestle with hers. She clutches me closer to her body and her hands move down to grab my ass. Another groan leaves her lips as she feels my erection press against her. I need air so I break the kiss, but turn my attentions to her earlobe. I nibble the soft flesh and blow cool air on it. Her lips have found their way to my neck and she begins to leave a trail of wet kisses along my stubbled skin. Working her way up to my ear, she whispers "Let's take this inside"

Removing myself from her ear, I grab her hand and turn towards the apartment. Thoughts of thankfullness cross my mind as I realize that Alcide will be at his weekly hockey game. I extract my keys from my pocket and swing the door open ushering Sookie inside. I am barely through the frame before Sookie is pushing me against the door, effectively slamming it shut. Her arms wrap around my neck and pull my head down for another smoldering kiss. When she slides her tongue back into my mouth I can't resist biting it gently, and I am rewarded by a moan from Sookie. I slowly back her up towards the couch.

I fall to the soft cushions below, positioning Sookie so that she is straddling my lap. As our tongues wrestle for dominance, I let my hands slowly trail down her sides. I graze her breasts and we both shudder in excitement at the contact.

Her mouth leaves mine to once again attack my neck. Her lips are so smooth against my skin and it feels amazing. When her teeth graze my Adams apple I cannot control the growl that escapes me.

My hands reach the hem of her shirt and slowly move upwards. Sookie shocks me when she reaches behind and unhooks her bra, pulling her straps down through the sleeves of her shirt.

"Touch me, Eric"

I don't need to be told twice and move my hands up to cup her breasts. They are so firm, yet soft and the weight feels perfect in my hands. They fit naturally in my palm, as though they were made for me. I run my thumbs across her nipples and they harden to the touch. I have longed for this moment.

"Take your shirt off. I want to see you, Sookie," I tell her in a husky voice.

She peels her top off and I'm greeted by the glorious sight of her bare breasts, nipples tightened to tiny pink buds. Unable to resist my hands reach up to cup them once more and I recapture her lips with my own. There is nothing gentle about this kiss.

Pulling back, her hands reach for the bottom of my shirt and pull it up and off. I watch as her eyes darken as she takes in my muscled chest. She doesn't hesitate to run her hands across it and soon bends her head to plant kisses on my hard skin. When she gently bites my nipple I feel myself grow even harder.

"Fuck, Sookie. Bite harder"

She complies, adding more pressure with her teeth. I can't control myself and push her back so that she is lying fully on the couch, covering her body with my own. The feel of her soft, feminine body, resting beneath my hard, muscular one almost sends me over the edge.

Starting at her ear, I plant a trail of kisses from the lobe, down her jaw, stopping momentarily at her lips, before continuing to her neck. I give her a small love bite and continue towards my destination. I softly kiss the peaks of her breasts before working my way to her hardened nipple. Circling the bud with my tongue I feel her breath hitch in anticipation. Unable to deny her or myself any longer I close my mouth around it and gently begin to suck. My god her breasts taste amazing. I can only imagine what other parts of her will taste like. Her fingers thread in my hair pulling me closer.

"That feels amazing, Eric," she gasps.

I take my time with her right breast, before turning my attentions to her left. I cannot decide which I enjoy more, so I lavish equal amounts of attention on both. Sookie begins to squirm under me and I feel her hands trail down my chest to the waistband of my jeans. One of her small hands slips beneath, and I pull back, grabbing her wrist to halt her progress.

"Sookie, do you have any idea what will happen if you do that?"

Biting her lip in what can only be described as a coy manner, she nods her head.

"Oh yes, Eric. I know. I want to feel you. I've wanted to feel you for so long."

Her hand once again begins its descent into my pants and this time I don't stop her. The minute her small, warm hand makes contact with my now hard-as-a-rock dick we both groan at the sensation. She stops for a moment, removing her hand from my pants and I am confused. The confusion only lasts for a minute before she unbuttons and unzips my jeans, tugging them as far down my legs as she can. I make to pull them the rest of the way off, when I feel her hands grab the waistband of my boxers and tug them down to meet my jeans. I stand up to remove them and find myself not the least bit uncomfortable being naked in front of Sookie.

Her eyes glaze over as she takes me in fully for the first time. A slow grin burns its way across her face and she motions for me to come closer. I go to resume my position on the couch, but she surprises me once again by pushing me back so that I am lying down and she is on top of me. Her breasts press against my chest and I emit a low growl at the sensation. Her nipples grow even harder at the touch of bare skin on bare skin. Reaching between us her hand encircles my cock once again. My eyes roll back in my head as she slowly begins to stroke me up and down.

"You feel so good in my hands, Eric. It makes me feel powerful knowing that I can make you this hard. Does it feel good, having my hands running up and down you?"

Hearing those words out of Sookie's normally very proper mouth inflame me even more and it takes all I have to not cum on the spot. I never would have guessed that she was into dirty talk. I can't form words but nod my head in approval.

She tightens her grip and begins to twist her hand on the upstroke, running her thumb across my tip with each pass. At this rate I'm not going to last long. I don't want to be the only one enjoying myself though.

I slide a hand down between us to unbutton her pants. She shivers in anticipation as I slowly pull her zipper down. I lower them as far as this position allows, before she removes her hand from me. Standing up, she shimmies them down her legs and steps out of them. Slipping her fingers into the sides of her panties, she slowly lowers them, giving me quite the show. Sookie has no qualms about standing before me completely naked and I drink in the sight of her. This is something I have imagined for five years, but my dreams are nothing compared to reality. She is truly a goddess before me. I hold my arms out, beckoning her to return to me.

Instead of doing as I expect, she picks her clothes up and slowly begins to walk towards my bedroom. I sit, paralyzed by my thoughts for a minute, before regaining my senses and making my way to my room as well.

I stop in the doorway to burn the image that greets me into my head. Sookie is lying naked across my bed. I pinch my arm to assure myself that I am not dreaming.

Crooking a finger at me, she rolls onto her side, waiting for me to join her. I slowly lower myself to the bed to lie beside her. She immediately moves closer to me, placing her lips on mine. As our bare flesh meets for the first time we simultaneously groan. I must touch her and run my hands up to cup her breasts once again. Her nails rake down my back and I groan once again.

Rolling her onto her back I move my lips to tease her breasts, as one hand snakes its way down her body. I hear her suck in a quick breath when my fingers tangle into the tuft of her blond curls. Slowly moving my finger lower, I come in contact with her soft folds for the first time. My god she is so fucking wet. A surge of pride rolls through me, knowing that it is for me. Sliding one finger into her we both moan. She is so hot and wet and tight and the sensation makes me even harder, which I thought impossible. I insert another finger, her grip on my head tightens and she begins to writhe beneath me. I slowly pump my fingers in and out her, eliciting a variety of moans and a string of profanities from her. When I flick my thumb against her clit, she bucks up off the bed.

Her hand leaves my head and works it way between us once more to encircle me. Resuming her ministrations from earlier, she pumps me hard. Between the feeling of her juices coating my fingers as I pump her and her hand wrapped around me stroking me for all she's worth, I know that I'm going to explode and soon. Increasing my pressure on her clit I touch my lips to hers once more, inserting my tongue into her mouth. One more flick across her nub and I feel her spasms begin to overtake her. Curling her fingers around me more, she strokes me harder and runs her thumb across my tip again. The combination is my undoing and I explode in her hands.

As we both lay there shaking, recovering from our climaxes, I roll to my side and pull her with me, laying her head on my chest. I can feel her heart clambering away and mine is keeping the same rhythm. After a few moments, I feel her deep breathing across my chest and look down to find her asleep. I pull the blankets up around us and drift off into a contented sleep myself.

* * *

* * *

**SPOV**

I wake up, momentarily confused as to where I am, until my hand comes in contact with Eric's bare chest. A huge smile crosses my face as I think about how I came to be laying here with him.

I feel him begin to stir next to me, and the grumbling noise he makes warms my heart. He's so cute when he first wakes up. I lean over to plant a soft kiss to his cheek, delighting in the stubble I find.

"Hi there," I whisper softly.

"Hey, yourself," he says pushing a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"Did you sleep well?" I ask, trying to make small talk. I don't know why I am suddenly nervous around him. I wanted this.

Eric must sense this, as he takes my hand in his and raises it to his lips to plant a kiss on it.

"I have never slept better, Sookie."

I let the conversation lapse once again until he lifts my face to meet his gaze.

"This has been perfect. Thank you," he says; his voice full of emotion.

I cannot help but smile at that and return the thanks before snuggling into his chest.

We lay in bed for a few more minutes before he offers to fix us some food. I stay snuggled in the sheets while he goes to the kitchen.

I give myself a small pep talk. _You love him Sookie. You had a great time with him earlier. There is no reason to be nervous. He isn't going to leave you just because you fooled around._ The warning voice in my head chose that moment to remind me of his earlier freak-out about Tray. There's only one way to know for sure if he's having second thoughts, so I pull myself out of the bed and put on his t-shirt and a pair shorts.

When I get to the kitchen he hands me a cup of coffee and ushers me to the table to have a seat.

"I thought we'd do breakfast for dinner, if that's alright with you."

"Sounds good to me."

I hear him, sigh heavily and it further adds to my confusion.

After a few minutes, I hear him turn the stove off and put everything together for us to eat.

He sets my plate down in front of me, and takes his seat at the table.

Looking at my food, I can't decide whether to giggle like a schoolgirl or rush around the table and throw myself in his lap. Eric fixed my pancakes so that they formed the words _I 3 U. _I raise my head to meet his gaze and am overwhelmed by the love shining through. I lay my hand on his and tell him how much I truly love him, how happy he makes me.

"I love you too. I know we are doing the right thing. No regrets, Sookie. No regrets at all."

I squeeze his hand and we settle into a comfortable silence and eat our breakfast with smiles on our faces.

* * *

**A/N:** Don't hate Tray! He needed to say those things, he did!

**A/N:** I also want to take a moment to say that the Support Stacie Auction raised well over $3,000 dollars in SVM stories alone! You ladies rock!!! Great job!!


	10. Chapter 9 pt 2: Tart Lemons

**A/N:** I do not own these characters, Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wished Eric though.

**A/N: **Just a small little add-on for your reading pleasure this week :-)

* * *

"Yes! Oh Sookie! Yes!"

Her tongue entering my mouth stopped me from saying anything else. This woman could turn me on like no other. My hands slowly made their way down her shoulders, to her arms and then over to cup both her breasts. The groan this elicits makes me even harder than before.

She gently pushes my shoulders, silently requesting that I roll on to my back. I comply, and as soon as my back touches the smooth sheets beneath me, her mouth is everywhere. Kissing my ear lobe, chin, neck, she makes her way to my chest. She stops to pay attention to my nipples, gently biting each one. I tangle my hands in to her hair, holding her to me, while she creates the most delicious sensation with her tongue.

After enjoying her teasing my nipples for a few minutes, I pull her up to my lips for a rough kiss. I will never tire of the way her mouth feels on mine, our tongues wrestling for dominance. I try to roll her beneath me, but she shakes her head no, and resumes her trail of kisses.

Her hand finds my incredibly stiff cock, and she begins to apply gentle pressure, stroking me slowly up and down. My eyes roll back in my head and I lose myself in the feelings of pure pleasure.

As her kisses get lower, I can feel my dick begin to twitch in her hand. _Yes!_ I have waited for this for so long, dreamed of the way her mouth will feel on me.

"Sookie, god, yes. I love you so much"

Her warm mouth is about to reach my throbbing member when I hear someone yelling my name.

"Eric!"

_What the fuck?!_

"Eric, dude. Come on! Get the fuck up!"

Groaning I roll over and open one eye halfway. I see Alcide standing over me, with an odd expression on his face.

"You were doing it again man."

I close my eye again and lay completely still for a moment. _Fuck. _Sookie wasn't in my bed with me. She had never been there. We weren't together, weren't dating, weren't madly in love. All of those things that I wanted so badly to be true. But alas, they were just a dream. I hadn't done this in months. I was finally making some progress and then this again.

Opening both my eyes, it takes a minute to adjust to the light flooding into my room. I train my gaze on Alcide and judging by the look on his face, I was being quite vocal in my sleep.

"I was calling out for her again, wasn't I?"

"Yeah, man."

"Was it bad? The dream, it was so real."

"Eric. You were moaning her name. You've gotta do something about this. It's not healthy for you to be having these dreams all the time. Felicia is really worried about you. Hell, I'm worried about you."

I sigh, knowing that he's right. I've put him and Felicia through enough these past six months. I was a complete wreck when I first got the news. I didn't eat, didn't sleep, for almost three weeks straight.

"I'm doing my best, Alcide. It's been a month since the last dream. I'm getting there. I am."

Laying a hand on my shoulder, he gives a deep sigh.

"I know you are, Eric. We're both here for you. Whatever we need to do to help you through this, we will."

"Thanks, Alcide. You guys are the greatest. I think I'm gonna try and get some more rest for now."

I lay there, doing my best to drift back to sleep, but thoughts kept plaguing my mind. I can't stop thinking about that day six months ago, when my world came crashing down around me.

* * *

It had been a year since we had our fight. Not a day of that year went by that I didn't wonder about Sookie. I hoped she was happy. I missed her. She was my best friend. Well at least she had been, up until she met Tray. I had been ok with their relationship up until the point that it interfered with our weekly get togethers. The first time she blew me off to go on a date with him, it was fine. I knew they were both busy and that they had to take advantage of whatever time they could get together. However, when she began canceling on me on a weekly basis: I got angry.

I had gone to her apartment to speak to her, to ask her why she was throwing our friendship away for him. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. I still have the scars from the tongue lashing she issued me. We hadn't spoken since that day. Both of us are stubborn people, and combine that with neither of us thinking we were wrong, well, let's just say that it's been a year since we last spoke.

I wanted to open the lines of communication again, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't feel like I had anything to apologize for. She was the one that hadn't been making time for our friendship, not me. I had always kept my Thursday nights free for her.

I had heard from Sam and Amelia when she got engaged to Tray. It had hurt to know that she didn't care enough to even call me and tell me herself. We had been best friends for years and she was getting married to someone. Hell I wondered if I'd be invited to the wedding. That was eight months ago.

I got my answer one night after work. Flipping through the paper I came across the wedding section. There on the front page, looking more beautiful than a bride had ever been, was Sookie. She was positively glowing. Under the picture were the names Stackhouse-Dawson. Reading the small blurb, I found out that the wedding had been held a week prior, back in Bon Temps with close friends and family.

So I wasn't even a close friend anymore? Jesus. What the fuck had we come to?

Before I knew what I was doing, the phone was in my hands and I was dialing her number, and someone was answering.

"Hello," answered her melodic voice. My god, I had forgotten how wonderful she sounded.

"Sookie. It's Eric."

I could hear the quick intake of breath, and I knew I had caught her off guard.

"Eric. Why are you calling me? What could you possibly have to say to me?"

"I hear you got a new last name. You sure made a beautiful bride."

_Silence._

"Eric, look. I'm happy with Tray. We're married. If you want to be a part of my life, then maybe we'll find a way to make it work. You have to respect the fact that Tray is always going to come first in my life now."

"Yeah, I guess he will. Sookie, there's something I need to tell you. Something I needed to tell you a long time ago. I love you, Sookie. I've been in love with you for as long as I've known you. I know that you are married now, and I get that. I just needed you to hear it. Once."

"Eric. Don't do this. Please don't do this. I can't be your friend if you are going to say things like that to me. I'm married. I love my husband. You were always just my best friend, Eric. Maybe some day you can be that again. For now, I need to go. Goodbye, Eric."

Alcide found me in a drunken stupor later that night. My entire world had crumbled around me. She was really out of my life in every possible way now. She'd married Tray and I hadn't even been there to witness it. Clearly our friendship was over. That didn't stop the dreams from coming. They came to me every night, some more vivid than the rest. It was always the same though. We were happy and in love with each other. She was mine and I was hers. They were almost always extremely erotic and very realistic. I would often wake up moaning her name, still able to feel her kisses on my skin.

At some point the dreams had begun to get out of hand, and I often was awakened by Alcide, Felicia, or the two of them together. I would scream Sookie's name out in my sleep, and when I would awake I would shake from the feeling of loss I felt. In some ways I knew I only had myself to blame. I should have told her from the very beginning, when we were still in high school how I felt. I was too chicken then, and I was paying for it now.

I had made it five months without having one dream of her. Alcide and Felicia really had hope that I was on the mend. I didn't think about her as often during the day. I had heard from Amelia at one point that Sookie was pregnant, with a little boy. _They sure moved fast_ was all I could think. I felt numb, which was nice. I wasn't upset, just numb. I guess time really does heal everything. I don't know what spurned this dream tonight, but whatever it was, it had been so real. Even now I could feel her soft lips on my skin, her hands caressing my chest and teasing my nipples, leaving a trail of fire on their way to my dick. I quickly shake my head to rid myself of those thoughts. No, it won't do me any good to think about her like that, not if I ever want to get back to sleep tonight. I try to focus on the good things in my life. I'm graduating in a week. Then who knows. My future is wide open. With that pleasing thought, I burrow into my pillow and sleep. This time I don't dream of Sookie.

* * *

"Eric? Are you awake?"

Grumbling, I answer. "No. Leave me alone, Alcide."

I hear a giggle in response. _What. The. Fuck?_ Alcide doesn't giggle.

Bolting upright in bed, I am momentarily confused as to what is going on.

A soft, warm hand is laid on my shoulder, and I turn to find myself looking into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I've ever seen.

Sookie's.

Pushing me down onto the bed, her hand slips under my boxer shorts, and her lips find mine once again. She's really here in my bed. She _is_ mine and I _am _hers.

Pulling back just an inch, she whispers "I'm on Fire, Eric."

I groan and we pull the covers up and enjoy ourselves. This time when I moan her name, nobody will be waking me up. This isn't a dream. This is my reality. I'm not going to let it get away from me, ever.

* * *

Happy April Fools Day!!

*runs away giggling like mad*

**A/N:** This was unbeta'd cause I wanted to pop it out so quickly. But a quick shout out to Lubadub for looking it over briefly. A super huge shout-out to seastarr08 for convincing me to do this!


	11. Chapter 10: Save the Last Dance For Me

**A/N: **I do not own these characters, Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.

**A/N:** Huge thanks to my fabulous beta, the beauty, talented, lovely **smfogleman**. She rocks my socks off, and I had the utmost pleasure of traveling to NY with her!

**A/N:** Right...so, it's been a while huh. I am truly sorry about that. Real Life has been freakishly hectic lately. I went to New York a month ago and got to meet some wonderful ladies from FF: smfogleman, zeewriter, vio_laine, and greenabsinthia. It was a total blast. Work has also been crazy. I will do my best not to go so long between updates again, but I sadly can't make any promises.

**

* * *

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3 Months Later

SPOV

I was deliriously happy. Being with Eric was amazing. It had been three months since he professed his love for me. Every time I hear "I'm on Fire" play, a rush of heat flows through me. Eric knows the reaction I have and has taken it upon himself to play it often. It usually gets him some time in the bedroom. We haven't had sex yet, per my request. The timing hasn't been right. It was too soon after Tray for me to feel comfortable. Eric has been the consummate gentleman, as always, never pushing me for more. I love him all the more for it. While sex isn't on the table yet, everything else has been. My god that man is talented with his mouth. I have never received that much pleasure in my life.

I haven't spoken to Tray since that day in the park, and I will admit, I am a bit sad about it. I miss him. I'm not longing to be with him again, but I miss his presence in my life. He had been such a large part of it for the last three years. It's sometimes hard to accept that he isn't there anymore. A part of me still loves him, it always will. It is my sincere wish that he finds happiness with someone that can be everything he needs. He's a great guy, and he's going to make some girl very lucky.

I am pulled out of my thoughts by a knock on my door. A flutter of butterflies in my stomach has me hoping that it is Eric on the other side. Getting up from the couch, I go to open the door.

Standing there with a sheepish smile, holding coffee and crepes, is Eric. It screams bribe. Not that he isn't capable of doing a sweet gesture with no motive, but the look on his face tells me this isn't one of those times.

He stoops down to give me a kiss, before walking in and heading straight for the kitchen table.

"I brought you your favorite. Nutella crepes with strawberries and a hazelnut latte."

Crossing my arms, I give him my best glare.

"What did you do, Eric?"

Feigning shock, he looks at me and laughs a little.

"Who says I did anything? Can't I just bring you one of your favorite treats, like the loving boyfriend that I am?"

"You can, but I know you. This is a bribe. Now, what did you do?"

Sighing heavily, he opens his container and starts eating.

"Sit with me and eat, and we'll talk."

The crepes do look inviting, and I know my chances of resisting are slim, so I sit down with him. I take my first bite and moan. These are amazing. The Flat Take-Away Creperie has become a staple of our date nights as of late. I see Eric's eyebrow shoot up at my moan and watch him shift in his seat. Good. Let him think about what else makes me moan until he owns up to what he needs to tell me. After sitting and eating for five minutes both crepes are gone and we have moved on to the coffee.

"I need you to go to Bon Temps with me next week."

I am momentarily puzzled. Why would this be a big deal? He knows I love going home to visit with Amelia, Sam and Lafayette. Tara recently moved back to town, having graduated in December, and it's always nice to see her again as well.

"Why did you feel like you had to bribe me to go home, Eric? You know I love going back to visit."

"My parents are having a party for their 35th anniversary. They want me to bring you with me."

Oh. Now I understand.

I had met Eric's parents before, of course. I have known him since high school after all. William and Thalia are two of the sweetest people in the world. I love them like they are family. I am nervous about seeing them again now that I am Eric's girlfriend though. Surely they must think badly of me for breaking off my engagement to another man, and for harboring feelings for their son for so many years and never saying anything. If I was in their shoes I wouldn't be too happy with me.

"Sookie, look at me."

I glance up at Eric and see the look of adoration on his face.

"I know you have been avoiding going to see them, because you think they won't be happy with you. You are wrong though. They love you. They have always loved you. They already consider you part of the family and they are happy that we are together. You have to stop worrying about that. Besides, this is their anniversary party. They want to share this with people that mean something to them, and that includes you. Trust me on this, please."

"I don't know, Eric. I feel like they should hate me for not facing up to my feelings."

"Stop it, Sookie! _I'm_ not mad at you for waiting so long. I didn't exactly run out to express my feeling either. My parents want me to be happy. You make me happy, and that's all that matters. Please do this for me. It would really mean a lot to have you there."

He gives me his puppy dog eyes and whimpers. _That little bastard! _But I can't suppress my grin and find myself giving in.

"Okay, Eric. I will go with you. I make one request of you though."

I see the smile creep across his face.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"You have to save me a dance."

His smile grows even larger and he comes around the table to wrap me in his arms.

"You got it, Sookie. Thank you for doing this for me. We will have a great time, I promise."

He leans down to give me a kiss, and I can taste the dark chocolate from his crepe on his lips, so I touch my tongue out to taste it even more. That is the end of the talking. The poor coffee is neglected as we satisfy other appetites right there on the kitchen table.

The week flies by in a blur and Saturday is here before I know it. I am filled with nerves even though Eric has taken every opportunity to assure me that this will go over well.

The party is being held at the old Bellefleur mansion, and it is sure to be a classy event.

Felicia and I had gone out shopping earlier in the week to find myself a new dress. We have become quite close over the last three months, and I easily consider her my best girlfriend. She always puts Eric in his place, and it amuses me to no end.

We had been to seven or eight stores before I finally found _the_ dress. We were in a vintage clothing store, and being slightly full figured I knew my chances of finding something that fit were slim. But miraculously the perfect dress was there. It was a sleeveless dress, blue green in color, with a brocade pattern. The square cut neck accentuated my cleavage nicely, without showing off too much. It flared out into a semi-skirt at the bottom. It was gorgeous. I fell in love immediately. I knew how much Eric loved me in blue as well; he said it always brought out the color in my eyes. I matched the dress with a pair of low-heeled shoes. I wanted to be able to dance the night away without my feet killing me.

As I remove the last of the curlers from my hair, brushing it until it falls in soft waves around my face, when I hear a knock on the door. Opening it, my heart leaps into my throat. Eric looks positively dashing in his black suit with his royal blue shirt underneath. His eyes are sparkling as he takes me in. A low whistle escapes his lips as I twirl to give him the full effect.

Pulling me into his arms, he brushes his lips against mine.

"Do you have any idea how tempted I am to just stay here with you and blow off this whole party? You look stunning, sweetheart."

My knees get a little weak, and I think for sure I am going to melt in his embrace. He gets to me like no other. Pulling back slightly, he grins at me, and hands me a perfect tulip. How have I not noticed that before now? It is beautiful. Leaning up I kiss him once more, and go to find a vase to put it in. Grabbing my purse on the way back to the door, we head out to the party.

Eric insists on driving, and I make him promise to keep the top up on his car, so as to not mess up my hair. I am determined to make a good impression on his parents, despite the fact that they have known me for years.

When we arrive at the mansion, it is clear that they party is already in full swing. I am worried that we will be in trouble for arriving late, but Eric assures me that it is no problem. Some of his parents' old friends are in town and wanted to get the party going early.

The place looks amazing. Twinkling lights are strung around the plants and line the walls. It is like a glowing wonderland. A big band is playing away in the corner and the dance floor is filled with couples. I spot his parents immediately. William and Thalia are dancing up a storm and laughing like little children. I have always been impressed by the love the two of them share, and it is wonderful to see them so carefree like this. I glance up at Eric, and he is smiling to beat the band.

"They are acting like they are still in their twenties. I swear those two will never grow up," he laughs, shaking his head.

I know how much Eric respects his father. Growing up as a military brat had not been easy, but his parents always made the best of the situation for Eric. His father is his personal hero, and I know Eric aspires to be like him one day. From what I have seen he is well on his way to becoming as great a man as his father.

We stand there watching his parents sway back and forth when the song changes and Eric pulls me out onto the floor to join the party. "Save the Last Dance for Me" has always been one of my favorites and I love to dance to it. Twirling me around the floor like a pro, Eric and I enjoy ourselves quite a bit. The song ends and we go to find his parents to say hello.

I feel my nerves creeping up on me again the closer to them we get. But all my fears are alleviated when Thalia immediately pulls me into her arms for a hug and William leans down to place a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Oh, Sookie, you look beautiful. That dress is lovely," Thalia says, holding me at arms length to look at me.

"Thank you, Mrs. Northman. The party is wonderful. Happy Anniversary."

Chuckling, Eric's father grabs my hands in his own. "I've told you before, Sookie, call us William and Thalia. Mr. and Mrs. Northman are just too formal."

I feel the blush creep up on my cheeks and nod. I hear Eric laughing softly under his breath as he goes to hug and kiss his mother in greeting. He shakes his father's hand, before pulling him into a bear hug.

"Thirty-five years huh? I don't know how you two did it, especially with me tagging around for twenty-five of them."

"Oh, Eric. Be quiet young man. Now, aren't you going to ask your mother to dance?" Thalia teases him.

Bowing before her theatrically, Eric asks for her hand for a dance. I watch as the two of them go out to the floor, leaving me alone with his father.

We stand there watching Eric and Thalia glide around the floor. Having watched William and Thalia dance, I know where Eric gets his skills from.

"He really loves you, you know," William says pulling my attention away from the floor.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Eric. He loves you so much. It's obvious by the way he looks at you. It is full of admiration and respect and pure joy. It's the same way I look at his mother."

I watch as his gaze follows Thalia around the floor. The love in his eyes is overwhelming and it is pretty clear how the two of them have lasted thirty-five years together. She catches his gaze from across the floor and flashes him a megawatt smile. It is wonderful to see two people so much in love.

"I want to thank you, Sookie."

"Thank me for what, William?"

"For making my son so happy. I always knew you two would be happy together if you could just get your act together and get on the same page. It was obvious how much you two cared for each other, even if you couldn't see it yourselves. Sam called me the night Eric sang to you at Merlottes. I have to give my son some credit; that took a lot of balls. I'm just thrilled the risk paid off."

"I'm sorry it took me so long to tell him how I felt. Surely you must hate me for that," I say averting my gaze.

Placing a finger under my chin, he lifts my face until I meet his eyes once more.

"Darling Sookie, we could never hate you. You are what our son wants. We have always considered you family, and I truly hope that one day I can call you that for real. Now, may I have this dance?" he asks and bows before me.

I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and giggle and accept his offer.

Sometime later, in between dancing with his cousins and friends of his father's, Eric pulls me away for a moment. He sings softly in my ear "Don't forget who's taking you home, and in whose arms you're gonna be, so darling, save the last dance for me."

I shiver with anticipation of another dance with Eric. This night has been a blast and more fun than I ever could have hoped for. I really feel as though I am a part of his family, everyone has been so welcoming.

It has been nice to meet some of his parents' friends from out of town and chat with the ones that live here. I danced with Sam several times, and he told me how happy he and Amelia are that Eric and I are finally together. I mockingly gave him a hard time for not telling me what Eric had planned the night he sang to me. He shrugged and spun me around once more.

I am standing beside the dance floor watching everyone, when Eric approaches me with a twinkle in his eye and requests the last dance of the evening. As Eric leads me to the floor I hear the band play the first few chords of "Tougher Than the Rest." My eyes widen in shock and Eric grins.

Pulling me closer to him, he sings in my ear once more. "Well it's Saturday night, you're all dressed up in blue, I've been watching you a while, maybe you've been watching me too."

I look into his eyes and the love I see staring back at me, awakens a desire to be as close to him as possible. Yes, tonight, I am going to make love with Eric. I snuggle my head against his shoulder and lose myself in the wonderful feeling of dancing closely with him.

* * *

**A/N: **Yep... the next chapter will be the big old lemon.

**A/N:** Here is the link to Sookie's dress. Just remove the spaces. http:// www. vintageous. com/v5350. htm


	12. Chapter 11: Feel Like Making Love

**A/N: I do not own these characters. Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though.**

**A/N: **A million, trillion, bajillion, viking kisses to** Smfogleman. **This chapter was a total mess and she whipped it into shape for me. She also let me sleep on her couch for the last couple of days too :-P

I also need to give a huge thanks to my Banjo**, LindsayK. **She looked over the lemon for me, cause I was terrified of it. It got her seal of approval so I knew I was good to go. She writes some bloody good stories, so check them out! http:/www. fanfiction. net/u/1295835/LindsayK

**A/N:** Well here it is. The lemon chapter. They aren't my strong suit, so take it easy on me... Grab some sugar and mix up some lemonade, cause this is sweet :-)

**EPOV**

Dancing with Sookie all night was even better than I could have imagined. She looked absolutely stunning in that dress that made her eyes seem even bluer than normal. Once she got over her fear of my parents' disapproval, she let go and seemed to really enjoy herself. I loved her carefree laughter as she spun around the floor with some of my father's friends. It was a beautiful sight.

Nothing compared to the feeling of having her in my arms, holding her close to my body as we swayed to the music. The love I saw shining in her eyes after I sang to her was enough to suck the air from my lungs. Words would never be able to fully express my feelings for the glorious woman beside me.

After leaving the party, we decide to go for a walk around the grounds of the mansion. It is a gorgeous piece of property dating back to the 1800s. The gardens are nothing short of award winning, and Sookie always enjoys strolling around and looking at the flowers. Sneaking a glance in her direction I see her wincing with each step she takes. It takes me a minute, but I think I know what her problem is. The heels on her shoes are low, but Sookie has never had a tolerance for being in heels for more than a few hours.

Tugging on her hand, I pull her to a stop beside me. She looks at me with a confused glance, causing her forehead to wrinkle.

"I know your feet are bothering you. You keep wincing with every step you take."

"It's fine Eric. I'll take them off when we get closer to the car. I just didn't want to go barefoot the entire time."

The sidewalks are clean, but I understand her hesitation. I squat down into a crouching position and tell her, "Climb on. I'll give you a piggy back ride."

"Eric!" she exclaims in disbelief.

"What's wrong, Sookie? It's not like I've never given you one before. You always seem to enjoy them."

Shaking her head, she chuckles and gestures to her outfit. "Eric, I love it when you give me a ride, but I'm not straddling your back wearing this dress. I think giving everyone a free show would be a bad idea."

The head on my shoulders understands the logic of what she is saying, but the head between my legs is inundated with thoughts of Sookie straddling my back, with just a pair of panties separating her warm, wet center from me.

I clear my throat so that I can answer her.

"Uh, right, yeah. That probably wouldn't be a good idea."

These pants do nothing to hide my erection, and when Sookie glances down as she pulls me to my feet, her laughter dies in her throat and her eyes glaze over. She presses her body closer to mine, seemingly without thought.

"Sookie, if you really meant what you said about not giving everyone here a show, I don't suggest continuing with that. I won't be held responsible for my actions if you keep it up."

Giving me a mischievous grin, she steps away from me for a second before jumping into my arms, causing me to scramble to catch her bridal style.

"Since you can't give me a piggy back ride, I figured this would be a suitable option for carrying me."

I carry her the rest of the way around the garden and then start back towards the car.

I try to will my erection away the entire time, so that I don't attack her the moment we get to the car, but it is hopeless. Sookie teases my earlobe with her tongue, whispering the things she wants to do to me when we got home. Her hands thread into my hair, and she pulls it back to plant wet kisses along my neck. It takes all of my willpower to not run and throw her into the backseat of my car.

Somehow I manage to keep my cool. I deposit Sookie into the car and drive us back to her apartment with no incident.

As I park, I tell her to stay right where she is. I first open the front door and then return to her side of the car to open her door for her. I reach down and scoop her up and into my arms, carrying her inside the apartment.

A feeling of warmth spreads through me that I can't begin to describe. In that moment I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, I want to carry her into _our _house like this one day, with her as my wife. She's the one for me, something I have known since high school.

I plant a soft kiss on her lips, trying to promise her everything and more in that one gesture. When I pull back she looks at me with glistening eyes, and I'm certain my intent is clear. Reluctantly, I set her back on her feet but continue to hold her in my arms.

"Would you lock up and kill the lights? I am going to go get ready for bed."

"Of course, my love. I'll meet you in the bedroom."

Oh I will meet her in the bedroom, and I plan on showing her how much I have enjoyed having her in my arms all night. She is nothing short of stunning, and watching her saunter away towards her bedroom is doing nothing to help my straining erection.

I can't wait to make love to Sookie, but she wants to wait, and I will wait as long as she wants me to. I would never pressure her into moving faster than she is ready to, and I have more than enjoyed learning how to please her in other ways. She has an incredibly magnificent body, and nothing excites me more than seeing her sprawled naked across the bed, head thrown back in an orgasmic haze. I know her curves by heart, and my hands itch to trace a path down them every time I see her.

I make sure all the lights are off in her apartment and lock the front door before heading back to the bedroom.

I open the bedroom door and the site before me makes my jaw drop.

* * *

**SPOV**

I leave Eric in the living room and go to the bedroom to get ready. I bought some candles and new lingerie a couple of weeks ago, wanting to make sure that the atmosphere would be right the first time we made love.

The silky nightgown is a royal blue color that hangs a few inches above my knees. The lace lined v-cut of the fabric falls in a manner that accentuates my breasts to perfection. I leave my hair down so that it falls in soft ringlets around my shoulders. My lace panties are a matching shade of blue that leave little to the imagination.

When I am satisfied with my appearance, I set about placing the candles out and lighting them. I didn't go for the typical scents like vanilla or lavender. I opted for honeysuckle instead. Eric always says I smell like honeysuckles.

I am pleasantly surprised to realize that I am not at all nervous, as I had feared I might be. This is a long time coming for Eric and me and I am incredibly excited to do this.

I debate how I should be positioned when he comes into the room, opting to stretch across the bed, head propped on my hand, with a "come hither" look on my face.

I can hear Eric's footsteps as he approaches the bedroom, and my heartbeat speeds up. I hope he enjoys my surprise. When the door opens my heart skips a beat altogether at the look on his face.

I have never felt more beautiful than I do as his gaze sweeps around the room and down my body.

His mouth opens to say something, but he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes instead. Opening them again, he fixes me with his stare and I can see the love and desire radiating from them.

"Sookie, I… you… my god you are radiant. How did I ever get so lucky as to have someone as amazing as you in my life? To have you love me as much as I love you?" There is so much emotion in his voice that it causes me to tear up.

"I don't know, Eric, but I thank my lucky stars everyday that you are mine. Now come here and let me show you just how much I love you."

I swear he growls before making his way towards me. Stopping at the foot of the bed, he offers me his hand and pulls me up to stand beside him on the floor.

"So fucking beautiful," he mutters under his breath.

I need to feel his lips against mine, so I thread my fingers through his hair and pull his face to mine. Softly at first our lips brush against one another, but I need more and slide my tongue across his lips, silently asking for entrance. His tongue darts out to meet mine and we kiss in a slow, languid fashion, tongues dancing with each other.

His hands are grasping my hips, and the simple touch sends fire spreading throughout my body. I want to feel his skin against mine and slowly unbutton his shirt, kissing each part of his chest as it is exposed. A low rumble emits from deep within him, and it turns me on even more. I slip the shirt off his shoulders and can't help the smile that graces my face. His chest is pure perfection, muscular, but still comfortable enough for snuggling against.

Returning to his mouth, I plant a searing kiss on him before working my way to his ear lobe. I tug the soft flesh between my teeth before moving on to his neck. I run my tongue up and down, stopping to lick his Adams apple, which bobs under my attention.

"Sookie," he growls out.

Ignoring this I keep working my way down, resuming my earlier efforts to cover his chest completely with my lips and tongue.

My lips fasten around one of his nipples, and I nip at the flesh until it hardens to a peak. My own nipples are straining against the fabric of my gown. His sigh of satisfaction encourages me to repeat the action on his other one, before continuing my path south.

I am grateful that he opted to go without a belt this evening; one less obstacle in my way. I struggle with the button on his pants for a moment, but the zipper gives way with ease. My hands are itching to pull his boxers down alongside his pants, but I want to take this slowly. I toy with the waistband before sliding my hand inside, finding him harder than ever before. My mouth waters in anticipation of tasting him once again. Running my hand up his length, I can feel the moisture pooling at the tip.

Unable to resist the urge, I lower his boxers in one fell swoop and sink to my knees on the floor. My free hand trails up his inner thigh until I cup his balls, wrapping my lips around his tip. His fingers wrap themselves in my hair and the guttural groan of satisfaction reverberates through the room. Teasingly, I swirl my tongue around his tip, down his length and back again before closing my lips around him once more. The slight thrusting of his hips encourages me to suck him harder and faster and I do so with pleasure. I love the way he feels in my mouth and I know with a certainty that he will feel even more amazing buried inside me.

After a few minutes of this he moans my name, and I know he is close. Reluctantly I release my hold on him, rising to my feet once more.

"I'm not finished with you yet, Eric."

Realization dawns on his face, which quickly gives way to uncertainty.

"Sookie, are you sure you're ready for this? We don't have to do this tonight; we can still wait."

His concern touches me, but I am more than ready for this. I am ready to be with Eric completely.

Placing my finger to his lips, I silence him, before replacing my finger with a soft kiss.

"Eric, I have never been more sure of anything in my life. I want this. I want to be with you in every way. I love you and I want to show you how much. Make love to me."

The fire that ignites behind his eyes, mixed with the ever present love, is enough to make me take a deep breath. I could never love a man as much as I do him.

His hands trail down my sides to the hem of my nightgown before slowly lifting it up and over my head. The blue of his eyes turns a darker shade as he takes in the site before him and I shiver under his gaze.

"Fuck, Sookie."

"Kiss me, Eric. Kiss me like it's the first time. Kiss me like it's the last time."

Kiss me he does. My toes curl with the intensity of the passion in that single kiss. I feel as though I may explode if I don't get more.

As if reading my thoughts, he turns me so that my back is to the bed, and gently lays me down on it. His fingers dip into the sides of my panties and he slowly tugs them down my legs and onto the floor with my nightgown. Lying naked before him, I feel like a queen as his gaze rakes over my entire body. He has made me comfortable in my nudity from the start and I will never be able to thank him enough for that peace of mind.

I open my arms in invitation for him to join me on the bed, and he tentatively lies down beside me. The air in the room is charged, and we both know that tonight is different. In some ways it's not though. I'll still be Sookie. He will still be Eric. We will still be in love. We will just have had sex together.

I roll onto my side to look at him. I brush his hair back and cup his face in my hand.

"I love you so much, Eric."

"I love you too, Sookie."

Taking the initiative I lean forward and put my lips to his once more before he rolls me onto my back, covering my body with his own.

"I" _Kiss_ "Have" _Kiss_. "A" _Kiss_ "Favor" _Kiss_ "To" _Kiss_ "Return"

My giggles quickly turn to moans as his lips reach their destination. My hips buck up off of the bed of their own volition as his tongue licks up my slit to my clit. Flattening his tongue, his strokes become rougher, and I can feel myself approaching the edge quickly. When he adds a finger to the mix, I lose all control, and my orgasm rips through my body.

Eric kisses his way back up my body to lie beside me, while I pant heavily, trying to catch my breath. I will never tire of the amazing things his tongue can do to me.

Propping himself up on one arm, his other hand ghosts up and down my side, causing goosebumps to break out all over my body.

"Sookie. I want to do this more than anything, but I wasn't expecting this. I don't have anything with me. I know we are both clean, but I'd just feel better if we had a condom."

The regret in his voice almost makes me chuckle, but I am too touched by his concern.

I roll over so that I am facing the nightstand by my bed, and extract a condom from the top drawer.

"Don't worry, Eric. I'm prepared."

The fire that ignites in his eyes is enough to scorch me where I lay. I watch in utter fascination as he unwraps the condom and rolls it down his length, before covering my body with his once more.

Kissing me deeply he positions himself between my legs, his tip at my opening. The urge to raise my hips to meet his is overwhelming. Pulling back he gives me one last glance to make sure I'm ready, and I nod before grabbing his head and bringing his lips back to mine.

He seems almost nervous. It is our first time together, so I brush it aside.

A moan escapes my lips as I feel Eric pushing into me. Groaning, he nuzzles his face into my neck, burying himself slowly, but completely, within me.

Stilling for a moment to allow us both to adjust, he raises his head so that his eyes meet mine, before pulling slowly out and thrusting back in. I can't stop the gasp from escaping my lips. Nothing has ever felt so right as having Eric make love to me.

Maintaining eye contact the entire time, he picks up the pace and soon he is eliciting moans with each movement of his hips. I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him further in and give myself to him fully. I am giddy with power when I hear him groan in response.

My orgasm is building quicker than I thought possible, and I know I won't be able to hold on much longer. Another couple of thrusts, and I dig my nails into his shoulders as I feel myself crashing over the edge as waves of pleasure flow through me. Grunting my name, he buries his head in my neck once more as he comes.

Collapsing on top of me, Eric continues to make small movements with his hips as I whimper in his arms. Sweaty and sated we lay there, his large body covering my smaller one. I run my fingers through his hair, which is damp with the efforts of our coupling.

He gently pulls out, and I mourn the loss of him. Rolling off the bed, he walks to the bathroom, to presumably toss the condom, before coming back to lie beside me once more.

Taking one look at each other we both begin to laugh uncontrollably. I never knew it was possible to be so happy.

"Thank you," I whisper.

He says nothing but pulls me into his arms once more, giving me a gentle kiss.

I nestle into his shoulder and lay my head on his chest. I can hear his heart pounding in his chest, and my grin spreads, knowing I am the reason for this reaction.

Just as I am about to drift off to sleep, I feel him tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and whisper softly, "You are the love of my life, Sookie Stackhouse. Words cannot express how amazing tonight was. You are perfect. I love you. Sleep well, my love." I snuggle even closer to his side and plant a soft kiss above his heart and fall asleep in the arms of the man I love.

* * *

**EPOV**

I awake in the morning with a curtain of blonde hair covering my face. Sookie is curled up in a ball, head on my chest and hair splayed out all around her. I am loathe to leave the bed with her in it, but I want to surprise her, as she surprised me the night before.

Last night was more than I could have ever hoped for. I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked into the bedroom to see her lying on the bed in that nightgown that clung to her curves in the most delicious manner.

Making love to Sookie far surpassed any dream I had ever had. She was so beautiful, giving herself to me freely and completely. I hadn't thought it possible to love her more, but I did.

In a strange sense though, I didn't feel any different. I was still myself, and we were still together, still in love. I'm not sure I was expecting anything to feel drastically different, but after twenty-five years of not having sex, I guess a small part of me was anticipating something to change.

I pull the blankets up around her as I slip out of the bed and head to the bathroom to take care of my business. I brush my teeth and pull on a t-shirt and some pants and sneak out of the room as quietly as possible.

Hoping to get back before Sookie wakes up to find me missing, I jog the two blocks to the shop that we frequent often. It's one of those multi-purpose stores with a pharmacy, café and gifts. Sookie and I often stroll down for breakfast when we are too lazy to fix it ourselves.

I know how much she loves the French toast here, so I place an order for that and a couple of coffees. On my way out I grab her a tulip. I always buy her one to mark special occasions, and today is definitely special.

Getting back into the apartment takes some maneuvering so I don't spill the coffee or drop the flower, but I manage to do it. I quietly sneak back into the bedroom and am relieved to find her still fast asleep, just as I left her. Lucky for me, Sookie is a deep sleeper.

I set the coffee and French toast on the nightstand and strip off all my clothing, before sliding into bed behind her. Moving her hair away from her face, I plant a trail of kisses down her slender neck, while my hand reaches around to caress her breast. This certainly wakes sleeping beauty.

Sookie rolls over to face me and the smile that graces her face when she does is enough to send my heart soaring in my chest. She lazily stretches, bringing her body flush against mine. My reaction is immediate.

"Mmm. Hi."

"Hi, yourself. Did you sleep well?"

"Like a rock. And speaking of rocks," she trails off as her hand comes between us to grasp me.

I roll her under me, and just like that, we are at it again.

A bit later, as we are catching our breath, I remember the breakfast and coffee I bought for her.

Chuckling, I reach over to grab it.

"I, uh, brought you some breakfast, but I guess you could say I got a bit distracted."

She laughs right along with me and the sound of it is music to my ears.

"What did you bring me? And when did you get it?"

"I snuck out while you were still sleeping and went to the store a couple blocks away."

Her eyes widen, almost comically, and she starts bouncing where she sits.

"Did you get me French toast?"

Mockingly, I feign failure, before passing her the container with her now cold food. Temperature is obviously not an issue for her, because she digs right in.

I can't stop staring as I watch her demolish the food as though it will disappear if she doesn't hurry up. She offers me the last bite and I happily accept it.

"You are giving me the last bite of your French toast? It must be love," I say as I jokingly swoon and fall to the bed.

"Oh shut up, Eric," She says as she punches my arm.

"Damn Stackhouse, I forgot how hard you hit."

I grab her arm and pull her back down to the mattress tickling her until she begs for mercy. Letting go, I grab the tulip and hand it to her, before she can return the tickle attack.

It certainly stops her in her tracks.

"Eric, it's beautiful. Thank you."

Shaking my head, I pull her to me.

"No, Sookie. Thank you. Last night was everything I could hope for and more."

"Geez, Eric, you're acting like it was your first time or something."

"Sookie, I," the words lodge in my throat.

Her eyes were huge as she realized what I started to say.

"Oh my god, Eric. Were you a virgin? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Yes, Sookie I was. I'm not sure why I didn't say anything to you about it. I guess it was never that big of a deal for me. In my mind you were always the woman for me, and I guess I was subconsciously holding out for you. I know you weren't a virgin, and I'm ok with that. I'm just really happy that my first time was with the woman I love."

Tears start sliding down her face, and I wipe them away.

"Hey now, none of that. No tears, Sookie."

"I love you so much, Eric. I'm happy I could be your first. It really means a lot to me, to know that you loved me enough to wait for me."

I pull her flush against me and kiss her with everything I have. That is the last of the talking for the morning. We stay in bed for the remainder of the day, and I know without a doubt, that I am falling even more in love with her.

* * *

**A/N:** well there it is kids. Hope you liked it... if you did... hit that little green button and let me know! I love hearing from you!


	13. Chapter 12: Be Dazzled

**A/N: **I don't own these characters. Charlaine Harris does. You have no idea how much I wish I owned Eric though

**A/N:** Much love to my fabulously wonderful beta **Smfogleman**. She makes one hell of a grilled cheese sandwich, let me tell ya. :-)

**A/N:** Here we are again! Sorry for the time in between updates. RL is just crazy. However, this one is a bit longer than normal and even has a very special POV, which I had waaaaay too much fun writing! ENJOY!

* * *

**SPOV**

_Blissfully happy._

That is the only way to describe how I feel these days. Eric and I graduated a month ago, and thankfully we were both able to find jobs straight away.

We have been together for six months, and they have been the greatest six months I have ever spent with another person. Of course we have had our minor issues, but what couple hasn't? Though we aren't officially living together, he is almost always staying at my apartment. Alcide has even taken to ribbing him about abandoning their apartment.

Our sex life is spectacular. I was stunned to realize that he was a virgin. I never would have guessed it. He certainly didn't show it. I am no slut by any means, Tray is the only other person I have ever slept with, but somehow I never thought Eric would be a virgin. It thrills me to know that I'm the only person he's ever been with, and hopefully I'll always be the only one.

Marriage hasn't come up. It's too soon, but in my heart of hearts I know Eric is the one for me. I feel things with him I never felt with Tray and it reinforces my decision that ending things with Tray was the right thing to do. I still feel terrible for hurting him and ending our engagement, but it was better to end things before we made it to the altar.

My vision goes dark all of a sudden and I am about to scream when a familiar scent invades my senses.

"If you want to blindfold me, shouldn't you take me home first?"

"Fuck, Sookie. Don't tease me like that when we're in public."

The hands over my eyes are removed, and I turn to see Eric standing behind me.

"Hi, sweetie."

He bends over to give me a kiss before coming around to join me on the park bench.

"What are you doing out here?" he asks me.

"It's such a nice day, I thought I'd sit out and read. What are you doing here? I thought you had to work."

A ridiculously large grin crosses his face. "My boss let us go early. His wife went into labor."

"Oh, Eric, that's so exciting!"

"Yeah, I'm not sure if he was more excited or terrified. It took him ten minutes to find his keys, even though they were sitting on his desk. But I'm happy for him. And I'm happy to get to spend the rest of the afternoon with you."

Well if that doesn't deserve a kiss I don't know what does. I give him a gentle peck on the lips, intending for a short kiss, but he threads his fingers in my hair and pulls me closer.

I find myself getting lost in the taste of him, and the feel of his tongue caressing my own, when I hear my name being called.

"Sookie, is that you?"

I know that voice. I woke up to it saying my name for the better part of three years. Eric stiffens beside me, and I pull back from him.

Turning my head, I see Tray standing there. I'm a bit shocked to realize he's not alone. He's with a girl. And they are holding hands. A streak of jealousy shoots through me before I am able to stop it. I shake my head. This is ridiculous. I'm happy with Eric. Tray should be happy too.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Eric stand up, and extend his hand. "Tray."

"Eric," he says, shaking his hand.

Gesturing to the female beside him, he introduces us. "Sookie, Eric, this is Liz. Liz, this is Sookie and Eric."

I can't help but eye her up and down. She's much shorter than Tray is; she can't be more than 5'3. Her hair is a deep brown, full of curls that reach her shoulder, and her brown eyes are hidden behind a pair of glasses. Over her shoulder is a bag that reads _Math is Delicious_. I guess she must enjoy math. I can't help but notice that she is the complete opposite of me, and I don't know how I feel about it.

"Could we talk? Alone."

It takes me a moment before I realize that Tray is speaking to me.

"Um, sure. Yeah, that would be fine."

I watch as he leans down to give Liz a kiss on the cheek, before heading off to a bench several yards away. I squeeze Eric's hand and turn to follow Tray. As I am walking off I hear Eric making small talk with Liz.

"So you like math, huh?"

Tray is sitting on the bench, and pats the empty spot beside him. Taking the seat next to him, I can't help but notice how happy he looks.

"You look good, Tray. Happy."

"I'm very happy. You look good too, Sookie. It's obvious how much you and Eric adore each other. Even I can see that."

"Tray, I'm sorry. If I had known you were going to be here, we wouldn't have made out in the park. You shouldn't have to see that. I shouldn't flaunt him in front of you; it's not fair of me."

Shaking his head, he smiles at me in the manner that always used to make my heart do flip flops in my chest.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Sookie. He makes you happy; you should never feel bad about that. Besides, I've moved on. I have Liz in my life now."

The smile on his face grows even larger when he says her name and I can see his eyes light up with a happiness that is new to me.

"You really like her don't you? I can see it in your face."

"I think I'm falling in love with her. She's an amazing person. She's part of the reason I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh?"

"I want you to know that I'm glad you ended things when you did. I was really upset at the time. I couldn't believe you were breaking up with me to date Eric, even if I tried to put on a good face about it. It hurt. I wallowed for a little while, but then Liz snapped me out of it. We had been casual friends for a while, she was in a couple of my classes, and we paired up for a project. I was a miserable jerk to work with, but she didn't put up with my mess for a second. I believe her exact words were 'You need to get over yourself. There are other girls out there that would love to date you. In fact, there's one standing in front of you right now.' I guess you could say I didn't have a choice in the matter. We've been dating for 3 months now. She makes me happy. If I'm being honest, she makes me happy in a way that not even you did, Sookie. I can tell it's the same for you with Eric though. There is a glow about you when you are around him. I want you to be happy, and I guess I just wanted you to know that I'm happy too."

I sit there for a minute taking it all in. A small part of me is hurt to hear his words, but then again I had been planning on marrying him. The bigger part of me is thrilled to know he is moving on and that he is truly happy. She sounds like a real spitfire and thati as definitely something that Tray likes. The relief I feel with the knowledge that he isn't mad at me, is overwhelming.

Throwing my arms around him, I hug him tightly.

"Thank you, Tray. You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say this. All I ever wanted for you was for you to be happy. If Liz does that for you, then I'm glad. Heck, maybe sometime the four of us can get together."

Letting out a loud laugh, he shakes his head back and forth. "I'm not sure we're quite ready for that, Sookie. Maybe someday, but not yet."

I chuckle along with him, knowing that he's probably right.

"Come on, what do you say we get back to our other halves? I'm sure they are both wondering what we have been chatting about over here."

I can only imagine what Eric is thinking. When he and Tray last spoke I wasn't sure I was going to get through to him. Hopefully he knows by now that I love him and only him.

As we approach, Eric and Liz are laughing about something.

Eric immediately grabs for my hand, and Liz curls herself into Tray's side.

"You ready to go, number muncher?"

"Sure am. It was really nice talking to you, Eric, and it was good to finally meet you, Sookie."

"See ya, Eric. Sookie," Tray says, planting a kiss to my cheek before he and Liz take off.

"I'm really sorry I left you alone like that, Eric."

Kissing me gently, he stops my apology.

"You and Tray needed to talk. Even I know that. Did you finally get full closure? I know you've been worried about him even if you wouldn't admit aloud."

I hug him tightly. "Yes I did, Eric. Thank you. For being so understanding. For being you. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now, I have something I want to run by you. Alcide called. He and Felicia want to have dinner with us tonight. Kind of a double date he said. I think he secretly just misses me."

Laughing at him, I have to agree. If I didn't know with certainty that both men are straight I would probably question their friendship at times. Those two have such a ridiculous bromance going on.

"I think that sounds lovely, Eric. But what ever shall we do with the rest of our afternoon?"

Pinning with me a stare that singes my panties, he raises one eyebrow in my direction.

Grabbing his hand we both break into a dead run and head for my apartment.

**APOV**

The crashing sound of balls hitting pins fills the air around us. Eric, Sookie, Felicia and I decided to go bowling for our date. Ok, Eric and I decided we should go bowling. Felicia and Sookie had lobbied for a movie, but I think we all realized that there wouldn't be much socializing going on. Unless you counted Felicia ending up in my lap with my tongue down her throat as socializing.

I'm having a hard time keeping my hands to myself tonight as it is. She looks so beautiful, and those jeans she is wearing are hugging her ass to perfection. I watch her head down the lane to take her turn and bend over to roll the ball in a way that makes me want to set my pin up in her alley and let my balls doing some crashing of their own. I'll never be able to get my fill of that woman. She's my everything.

I'm removed from my thoughts when she jumps up and down, having rolled a strike. The smile on her face lights up the entire place and I can't help grinning along with her. Bounding over to me, she plants a kiss on my lips before leaning over to punch Eric in the arm, telling him to "beat that."

I stand up and try to catch Sookie's attention. "I think I'm going to go get more beer. Sookie can you come help me? I'd ask Eric, but he's up next."

"Of course, Alcide."

I smile as I watch her lean over and kiss him for good luck. I'm really happy for them. My man was so hung up on her for years, and I honestly wasn't sure what he would have done had she married Tray. She's a pretty spectacular woman, and the two of them together are a sight to behold.

When we are far enough away from the lane, I tell Sookie the real reason I wanted her help with the beer.

"I'm going to ask Felicia to marry me, and I was hoping you could help me pick out a ring for her."

"Oh my god! Alcide! Oh my god! This is so exciting! Does she have any idea?"

"We've talked about it before, and it's a foregone conclusion that we are going to spend the rest of our lives together, but she doesn't know I'm planning to propose so soon. I want her to be my wife. There is absolutely no reason to wait. I love her. She loves me."

Tears start to fill up her eyes. "Oh, Sookie. Don't cry. I can't handle it when you girls get all happy emotional and start crying. It's just weird. Please stop."

"I can't help it. You better get used to it. This is what 'we girls' do. We cry. I would love to help you pick out a ring for her, by the way. When do you want to go look? Have you told Eric you're going to propose?" she rambles on.

"Yeah, he knows. He's my best friend; I wasn't not going to tell him. Besides, if I hadn't told him, you'd tell him later tonight. Am I right?"

She gives me a knowing smirk that is so eerily like Eric I have to suppress a chuckle.

"Are you free tomorrow? I'd really like to find her a ring soon. I'm chomping at the bit to do this. I have something in mind already, but I just have to find it."

"Meet me at my apartment around ten tomorrow morning and we'll go. I'm really happy for you, Alcide. You've always been such an amazing friend to Eric. Both of you have. And you've welcomed me with open arms into y'alls friendship. It means a lot. Felicia has become my best girlfriend, so I'll do whatever I can to help."

With a quick glance back to the lane, I see Felicia and Eric giving each other a hard time about something, so I give Sookie a quick hug, and we grab our beers and head back.

I get the feeling that Sookie and Eric haven't had the marriage conversation yet, but Eric has already told me that he plans on marrying her. He'd be a fucking idiot not to. I get the feeling a proposal will be around the corner for them soon enough.

I take my seat, and as Eric grabs his beer, he manages to whisper "So you told Sookie, huh?"

How the hell does he know that? We were far enough away that I know he couldn't have heard us.

"I saw you hug her man. You're not that casual with your affections normally. What time are you picking her up tomorrow?"

I shake my head. Shit. He really is my best friend.

"I'm meeting her at ten. So don't keep her up too late, fucking her brains out, ok?"

Taking a long swig of his beer, he claps me on the back. "Now that is not a promise I can make."

**SPOV**

I have just finished eating my breakfast when Eric trudges into the kitchen and collapses into the chair across from me. I slide my cup of coffee across the table to him and bounce up to pour myself another cup.

"How on Earth are you so chipper this morning? This isn't normally like you," he grumbles over his mug.

"Today is going to be a good day. I'm so excited to help Alcide out. Felicia is going to be so surprised."

His face seems to droop a bit, and he takes a sip of his coffee, avoiding my eyes.

"What did I say, Eric?"

He tries to evade my question by clearing his throat and drinking more of his coffee.

I walk over and plant myself on his lap, forcing his eyes up to meet mine.

"What is wrong?"

"I just," he trails off, before clearing his throat once more and starting again. "I guess I was hoping that I was the reason for your good mood. I thought we had a great time last night. The way you screamed my name it sure seemed like it." His lips curl up into a grin as he finishes the statement.

Knowing him as well as I do, I know that he is lying to me.

"We had an amazing time and you know I enjoyed myself. Now why don't you tell me what is really bothering you."

Running his hands over his face, he takes a deep breath and scoots his chair back from the table.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me, Eric. We agreed to always be honest with each other. Stop hiding from me."

"I'm not ready to get married," Eric blurts out.

I sit and stare at him for a moment, before I burst into hysterical laughter.

The glare on his face helps me to get myself under control.

"I'm sorry, Eric, but who said anything about getting married? I know I sure as hell didn't."

He is smart enough to consider his words before speaking.

"Well, you're going ring shopping with Alcide, and well, Sookie, you're a girl. I know how girls can get when it comes to marriage. I love you more than anything, but it's too soon for us to get married. I am just afraid you'll go with him and get all these ideas in your head. I mean, you were engaged to Tray. I remember how happy you were when you told me the news. I want to be the one that makes you that happy, but not now."

He shifts his gaze away from my face. Is he scared of what I am going to say?

"Eric, I'm not like most girls. You should know that by now; you've known me long enough. I agree with you. It is way too soon for us to get married. Do I want to spend my life with you? Yes. Am I ready to get married to you? No. Tray and I dated three years before he proposed. I'm not the kind of girl to rush into something like this. You make me happy, happier than I have ever been. That's enough for me for now. I like what we have going on. Besides we don't even live together yet. I'd like to live together before we get engaged. I'm happy and excited for Alcide and Felicia. You should be too. Let's focus on helping them have the wedding of their dreams. He's your best friend, and well, she's been pretty good to me. They both have. So today I am going to help him pick out a ring, and when I come home, you and I will have some special alone time. Does that sound good?"

He pulls me closer to his body, which seems impossible considering how close we are with me on his lap, and plants a kiss on me that I feel all the way to my toes.

"I love you so much, Sookie. I'm glad we are on the same page. Now, go help Alcide find a ring for her. Felicia deserves the best. She's going to be shackled to him for the rest of her life; she should at least get a nice ring out of the deal."

I swat him on the shoulder before pulling myself off of his lap. A knock sounds on the door less than a minute later, so I go to answer it.

Alcide is standing there with a megawatt smile on his face. He looks like a kid that has just gotten a new puppy.

"Are you ready to go, Sookie?"

"Good morning to you, too. Eric's inside if you want to say hello."

"Good morning. Sorry, I'm just really excited to go do this."

He is so adorable in that moment I am willing to let his rudeness slide.

"Hi, Eric. Bye, Eric" he yells into the apartment.

I can hear Eric laughing as he yells back "Buy her a good one man, so that she doesn't rethink her decision to get hitched to you."

"Fuck you, asshole."

"Back at ya, fuckface."

I swear the two of them are better suited for a locker room than polite society.

Making a theatrical show of it, Alcide bows to me and offers his arm, and we are off to the jewelry store.

S&S Jewelers is the best known place in town. If you are looking for something special, it is the place to go. I have always loved their slogans "Where diamonds in the rough shine" and "S&S Jewelers. Be Dazzled!"

Immediately upon entering the store, we are greeted by two women, Susan and Sandra. The famous S&S.

"Well aren't you two an attractive couple. What are we shopping for today?" the one with the nametag reading Susan asks.

Alcide and I look at each other and both snort.

"We're not a couple. Not even close. I'm just helping him pick out a ring for his girlfriend."

"Yeah, she's my best friend's girl." He turned to me, "No offense, Sookie, but you aren't really my type."

"No offense taken, you're not my type either."

Hitting the woman on the arm, Sandra speaks up, "See, Susan, you can't just assume people are together. Now, let's get some rings for you to look at. What precisely are you looking for?"

Alcide was pretty clueless when it came to jewelry I found out. He knew he wanted something simple and non-traditional, but it didn't extend beyond it. Susan and Sandra show us a variety of options, but nothing is striking his fancy, until he sees one that makes his eyes pop wide.

"That's it. It's perfect. Actually it is beyond perfect."

The ring is a simple silver band, with an emerald setting. On either side of the stone, are Celtic Trinity knots. It's an absolutely stunning ring, and unique, just like Felicia.

"Emerald is her birthstone, and she loves all things Celtic. Wow. I'll take it. Perfect."

I give him a huge hug. "She's going to love it, Alcide. It's beautiful."

With a grin to rival no other, he says "I cannot wait to give it to her."

After settling everything up and getting the ring prepared, we leave, with well wishes from both ladies, and a not so subtle reminder that should my beau and I wish to get engaged, that I know where to find them.

"Good lord. Does everyone want Eric and I to get engaged? We're not ready yet!"

Alcide stops walking and grabs my hand. "Sookie, listen to me. You make my boy happier than I've ever seen him, and you know that. If the two of you aren't ready, then don't rush it. Only you and he can decide that. If you ask my opinion, the two of you already act like a married couple. That being said, take your time. It's probably going to happen for you one day. Besides, I don't want you stealing my thunder right now."

Laughing out loud, I punch him softly on the arm then give him a hug.

"You're a really good guy, Alcide."

"Tell me more. My ego can always use some inflating."

I roll my eyes and we make plans to have dinner the following night, just the four of us, and I make him promise to give us details of the night.

Reverting to his smart ass ways, he waggles his eyebrows at me, "You want _all_ the details? I'd hate for Eric to feel inadequate."

This is my boyfriends' best friend. Ridiculous, childish at times, and put him and Eric together? Forget it. Yet, I wouldn't change it for the world. Life is funny like that sometimes.

* * *

**A/N:** The ring: http:/www(DOT)abitoblarney(DOT)

**A/N: **Alcide was sooo much fun to write! I hope you enjoyed his pov!

**A/N:** Gotta pimp a couple of my ladies who put in a cameo! **Lubdadub**: the Countess of Kink. She's got several amazing stories going on right now. http:/www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/2078758/Lubadub

AND my soulmate, and the woman I am so proud to beta for, the lovely **missust**! http:/www(DOT)fanfiction(DOT)net/u/1729178/Missus_T


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